


Call of the Drums

by idigam



Series: Wild Hunt [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, They aren't important though, Wild Hunt, from scratch AU, kind of slow burn, peter hale mentioned, some OCs, there will be eventual sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2018-05-26 05:12:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 43,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6225331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idigam/pseuds/idigam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Stiles finds a book, the Hales are done being in the dark, Cora has way to much fun, Scott actually has Lacrosse talent? Also very angry dogs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dramatis Persona

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Play It Again](https://archiveofourown.org/works/862320) by [metisket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/metisket/pseuds/metisket). 



> So this is a fic I've been working on for a while, the first chapter is unedited due to technical problems on my bereaved editor's end. All future chapters will be edited, also Ch. 1 and 2 will be posted pretty close to each other. The rest will take longer due to the editing process. This is pretty much a complete AU, I've changed a lot for the sake of not running into the S3-B nonsense. Danny gets a bigger role because I love him to bits, and thought he was under utilized. The full fic is Wild Hunt: Call of the Drums, there will be about ten chapters maybe more depending on how the full edit ends. After that there will be three more "seasons" I have planned out for the Wild Hunt verse. Let me know what you think I'm always looking for feed back to work out the kinks.
> 
> Lastly a sincere thanks to my wonderful and overworked editor. http://archiveofourown.org/users/bookloverfio/pseuds/bookloverfio  
> Also thanks to the fan work "Play it Again" by metisket what loosely inspired this.

Laura drives up the coast from San-Francisco on a lonely stretch of highway. It's late, and she's been driving for hours already, though hopefully she'll make Beacon Hills by morning. The private investigator she'd hired had found some information that Laura would be interested in but didn't want to discuss it over the phone. She hasn't been back since the fire, but she has to know what they found. She told Derek and Cora to stay behind; somewhere in the back of her head she knows they won't listen. Her fore-brain however is preoccupied between the drive, the knowledge that new information waits for her, and her concern for Peter, who'd become very withdrawn after the fire. At least he and his family hadn't been home when it happened. She doesn't know how far gone he'd be if he had lost them. She does know it would have been bad. At least she's tried to keep her younger siblings out of trouble. Even though she knows it can't last.  
\-----

 

Several miles back, same coastal highway, different lonely stretch, Derek is regretting all of his life choices. His sister, his Alpha, told him to stay. Stay and make sure Cora went to school on time, stay and make sure Peter, Darla, and the twins are looked after, stay safe. So how exactly had he let Cora talk him into driving the two of them up the coast to Beacon Hills to chase after their errant sister? Is he just rationalizing this as Cora's fault so he wont take the blame when they are inevitably caught? They will get caught, Laura always catches them. Their mother had before and that, along with alpha status, was something Laura inherited from her. Cora tried to argue that they got away clean on the night of Derek's senior prom, but he's pretty sure Laura just didn't mention that out of pity. Most importantly Derek is wondering how he'd gotten roped into driving the whole way while Cora slept peacefully in the back seat?  
\-----

 

Stiles stands in the threshold of his kitchen hands on hips disapproving frown locked in place. The frown is directed at the oblivious nearly unconscious form of his father. Ever since that hired detective came to town the evidence for the Hale house fire has been camped out across the kitchen table and John has been lucky if he gets more than three hours. John looks over his shoulder and recognizing the face, tells his son that he's "fine.” John however is waving drunkenly back and forth about to collapse into an exhausted heap. Stiles looks at his dad, deadpan and says "I'll believe that when I can't push you over." John gives his son a look like Stiles could, and would never do such a thing. Stiles responds by poking his father just hard enough that the sleep deprived sheriff needs to catch himself on the table. John gives Stiles a withering look but relents. "Don't move anything on the table, I have everything exactly where I want it." His father slumps on the couch and is asleep by the time he hits the cushions. Stiles sighs, there's no way his dad is making it to his room now. Looking at the mess on the table he notices something has fallen on the floor. It's a book, slightly singed, bound in leather with a triskelle and some unintelligible symbols on the front. Stiles wants to take a look, just a peek, and it's not like it's actually on the table.  
\-----

 

Allison sits on the edge of the motel bed watching her father check his rifle and knives for the fiftieth time. A full day on the road and still half a day from their new home. Beacon Hills, blessedly devoid of supernatural activity and the perfect place to settle in away from Argent expectations. The pretense of training Allison to hunt was what kept the extended family out of their business as long as it had. In all fairness they had trained. Funny, after finding out her family legacy, losing her mom to a drunk driver seemed a callous irony. Survive werewolves, berserkers, and nameless nightmares, and get killed by an idiot member of the species you're trying to protect. "Can we ever just go back?" She knows the answer already but it's confirmed by the sad, slightly desperate look her dad gives her. He's worried about her. He knows she doesn't want to kill, and given his history, he's glad. Allison is not so sure. The few hunts she's been on have been minor, no real ethical greys, but they made her feel good, vindicated, like she has a purpose and somewhere to channel her grief. That terrifies her.  
\-----

 

Lydia, and Danny are watching a movie; Jackson is trying not to watch the movie. They've been marathoning terrible rom coms, and finally hit Kate and Leopold. Hopefully this would end the current Meg Ryan theme of the evening. “Please god” Jackson thinks, “let this be the last Meg Ryan movie”. “Hugh Jackman is the bond between gay men and straight women” Danny says knocking back one of the beers Jackson has managed to sneak by his parents. Lydia cocks her head slightly to the side and adds, “him and condemning that sweater.” Jackson tries to read his book, he tries to think of something other than the movie, he makes a “shoot myself in the head” motion. Lydia elbows him, Danny laughs. Lydia's worried, this is Danny's first real break-up, and it has hit him kind of hard. She'd hated the guy, she'd not been friendly, but she didn't say as much as she wanted to. Jackson had said it was Danny's choice, and mistake to make. If it blew up (it did) they'd just have to be there for him. Jackson had been right, and that was a truly frightening thought. Considering, as much as she loved Jackson, Lydia knows that he has all the tact and empathy of a disgruntled badger. Danny knows neither Lydia nor Jackson liked his now ex-boyfriend. They aren't nearly as subtle as they think they are and he has basic observation skills. He wishes they'd said something, done more to stop it. He also knows he wouldn't have listened, probably would have been mad at them for trying. He's glad they're here now.  
\-----

Deep in the preserve outside Beacon Hills there's a stump, large enough that an almost full grown adult can lay across it like an altar. Above it the air starts to ripple; at first like a heat haze then like the surface of a disturbed pond. A sleek, mid-sized, dog leaps out of the air, where nothing had been before circles the stump sniffing the air and ground, before it releases two sharp barks, and two more dogs slip through. One a huge Tibetan mastiff looking thing. The third a commanding middle ground between the first two, looking more like a German Shepard. All three are black as night, with teeth like daggers and steaming putrid saliva. The third leads the other two a few steps forward, and howls. Their eyes erupt with bright red balefire rallied by the alpha's call. With that they charge off into the night, fading into the misty air.  
\-----

 

In his bedroom Scott McCall is trying to sleep, but he's not having much success. He feels like can't breathe, it's like his lungs have closed up. He fumbles for his inhaler, and it falls behind his nightstand. He tries to get out of bed but collapses. He can't move, and panic sets in, he feels like he's dying. His mom is working late, and she wont be there, she'll blame herself. He's desperate fumbling now, there's a pounding in his head, rhythmic. It's calming him down, and he knows that's the oxygen deprivation. Until suddenly it's like the vice is stripped from his lungs. He gasps, sucking in air like a drowning man, panting and coughing. The pounding in his head doesn't subside, if anything it worsens. He lays on the floor of his room, in agony until his mother comes home. She helps him through the worst of it, gives him painkillers and promises to leave coffee for him for school in the morning. He thanks her, assures her he's fine once it subsides. Once Scott convinces his mom it's over she goes to bed, he however doesn't get back to sleep.  
\-----

 

Scott enters the high school tired, grouchy, and really not ready for the first day of his sophomore year. He groans banging his head on his locker and contemplates just passing out in the hallway. "Scott buddy!" Scott lets out an exasperated sigh and turns towards his way too-jumpy-for-this-early best friend. "Stiles, you have bags under your eyes and I can smell that coffee from here," it's actually making him nauseous, "why does sleep deprivation make you... bouncier?" Stiles rocks forward slightly on the balls of his feet, grins like a maniac, and promptly begins babbling. Something about a journal, crazy Hale grandma, werewolves, magic and other things Scott is too tired to try and follow. By the end he can't tell whether this is all part of the journal Stiles mentioned or his best friend being, well Stiles. Stiles immediately cuts off his latest tangent, there is only on thing that could stop a Stiles ramble and that was Lydia Martin, and where Lydia went. Scott makes a noise; part groan, part growl, part small yell, it would have been impressive on a wild animal. Luckily it looks like both Danny and Jackson are about as tired as he is and dragging their heels, Scott gets off with a smug grin from Jackson for the noise but nothing more. Lydia looks flawless but she could probably cover up being waterboarded with the right concealer. Stiles moons, Jackson scowls, Danny and Lydia do not acknowledge them, this is as it should be. Birds fly, fish swim, Lydia Martin pretends Stiles Stilinski does not exist, and after last night that bit of normalcy is appreciated. Stiles is now asking him if he thinks werewolves are allergic to chocolate like dogs. "If werewolves become real, ever, you should ask them." Scott responds while gently coercing his best friend towards their first class. He's moved on from werewolves to magic, this was going to be a long fairy tale filled day isn't it?  
\-----

 

Derek pulls into a motel parking lot, far enough outside of town that they "probably" won't run into Laura. As he parks the car he hits the breaks slightly harder than he should unceremoniously jolting his younger sister to consciousness. He'll pay for that later, but he's been driving all night while she slept, despite this being her idea. As such he doesn't particularly care at the moment. "Damnit Der! You pull that again I'm using my claws to stop myself, Camero seats be damned." Derek grunts in acknowledgement and goes to check into a room. He grabs the keys from the unfriendly woman at the check in desk and walks out to see his younger sister leaning on his car looking bored. He holds up the keys jingling them lightly before walking towards the room assigned to them. Derek unlocks the door and deposits his and Cora's travel bags on the floor. Turning to Cora as she enters, "you are going to go get us a map, food, and gather as much info on Laura as you can." Cora looks at her brother trying to gauge if he is seriously ordering her to do something. "Why should I?" she asks. Derek looks at her, weary, with his most Derek frown "because you are well rested while I have been driving all night." At that point Derek falls face first on the motel bed, leaving Cora to her own devices, which hopefully align with his. He is definitely going to regret this later.  
\-----

 

Cora looks at her brother, between the drive and arguing with Laura into the small hours of the previous morning he needs the sleep. Of course she was eavesdropping on the whole conversation, what did they take her for? Honestly. Tracking Laura, it turns out, is a slight challenge. Most people at Beacon Hills didn't know them which was annoying, but also seemed leery of outsiders, which given Hale history is just insulting! Cora is thinking on this when a voice speaks up behind her. “Hey, you kid!” She turns looking forward to some entertainment then frowns as she realizes the sheriff's deputy is stomping towards her. “Why aren't you in class? I know you know it's the first day.” Cora looks up at him, distinctly unimpressed, “not in San-Fran, at least not until Monday, at my school.” The officer frowns, “why should I be-” Cora holds up her hand. “Do I look familiar to you? No? Probably because I'm not from here, now if you want to go chasing off new comers. Who just want to see the beautiful rustic town that their parents tell fond stories about meeting in. I guess I'll just go find my brother, who drove all night so we could have this relaxing vacation, and tell him that we aren't welcome.” She flashes her school ID for emphasis that the nearby Beacon Hills high school was not in fact her school. The deputy has the decency to look suitably mortified. Cora realizes she could have been nicer, but he was rude first. Also antagonizing law-enforcement and getting away with it? Never. Not. Fun.

Luckily more difficult than asking around the neighborhood is a far cry from actually hard. Cora tracks her sister to a motel as much inside the city limits as she and her brother are just outside. Picks up a map at the same motel, if they are caught as Derek is convinced will happen Cora will relish this moment for years publicly. Privately if they get away scott free. It turns out that Alpha constitution doesn't apply for as much as she'd thought since Laura seems content to sleep the day away like her brother. "How am I related to these people" Cora wonders aloud, absently picking up a burger before deciding to explore Beacon Hills on her own. She's done as Derek asked has a lead, and is now eager to have the town to herself for a few hours. Best of all she can guilt Derek with the idea of having let him sleep; he does need it. Cora would first find the most interesting places, then probably ghost the local highschool to see if there was anyone worth teasing. Apparently they have a good lacrosse team since that was the "hot gossip topic" how do small town people live?  
\-----

 

Why does post break-up world suck? Danny is half-listening to the teacher, half-trying to keep Jackson from turning around and throttling Stilinski who had managed to get sent out of their first two classes, and his third based on the dejected Stiles in the hall by his locker during third period. Probably managed it in fourth period and seems to be working very hard on a fifth. Danny has to admit to being impressed with the near solid paragraph of words between breaths. If he was honest he felt bad for Scott, he's a good guy, and he stuck by Stiles. Unfortunately that means Danny can't be overly honest, as devoted as Scott is to Stiles, Danny is equally to Jackson. Stiles and Jackson have hated each other since fifth grade, and like good best friends should, Scott and Danny dislike Jackson and Stiles respectively. Though it has started to finally boil towards a mutual anitpathy. It doesn't help anything that Stiles is hoplessly smitten with Lydia and Jackson is nothing if not territorial. 

Danny sighs, he loves the guy but he really wishes Jackson would figure out that Lydia is a big girl and equally devoted to him. "I really don't want to go to practice," Danny says, if he was stuck in sleep-deprived-post-break-up hell, then he might as well use the pity points to get Jackson to stop throwing death glares. Even Lydia looks tired of it. Jackson whips around, he looks worried, honest to goodness worried. Normally both Danny and Jackson look forward to the start of Lacrosse season. Danny's mostly just too tired to even try dealing with Finstock, and the inevitable posturing of Jackson, and moping of benched Stiles and Scott. The change in conversation has evidentally shocked Jackson enough to worry him. Which is sweet if unnecessary, Danny is pleased to be the focus of one of the momentary lapses in which Jackson shows he isn't the entirely self-absorbed bully of a nineties sit-com. "Stilinski hall now!" Mr. Harris' voice echos across the class, Stiles slumps over before stomping into the hall like a petulant child. Jackson takes the opportunity to send his best impromptu sneer Stiles' way, "aaand moment gone" Danny thinks to himself.  
\-----

 

Cora is bored, "interesting places" apparently doesn't apply to Beacon Hills until after dark, and the Jungle is the only one that sounds legit interesting. Gay dance club that it is will inevitably require a fake ID and shaking Derek... Although thinking on it forcing her brother to chase her into a gay club would make for a most amusing diversion and has to be penciled in for later. She sits on the bleachers of the Beacon Hills high school field watching a number of high school boys march onto the field. She takes note that, while most seemed lethargic, four of them are especially bad. Two are obvious, if she'd have been a predator she'd have singled these two out. Left on the outskirts of the herd as they are. The other two are slightly harder to spot in the crowd of their teammates but they are more delayed in their movements. Others aren't looking so good, but not as bad either, in fairness to them they are probably dealing with the first day back at school. Still if this was the grand lacrosse team everyone was so enthusiastic about. Cora is even less impressed than she is with their law enforcement and entertainment venues. 

She hears someone approach behind her, not attempting to be sneaky so not Derek, and not already yelling at her so not Laura, a student then? She doesn't bother turning, especially since the coach began yelling at the team, focusing on an unassuming figure off to the side dubbed "Greenberg". "You are new," the someone behind her announces. She turns and decides this is first impressive thing in this town. The girl is Cora's age, has strawberry hair, and smells of some fancy rose and orange blossom perfume, with a note of exhaustion underneath. Though you wouldn't know it looking at her, she carries herself with a haughty nobility and has every hair in perfect place. The expression she wears implies that Cora's failure to introduce herself as a likely new student is an affront to her sovereignty. Cora shrugs, "my school doesn't start till next week so my bro and I decided to road trip up from San Fransisco."  
This explanation seems to mollify princess, Cora has decided that this is how she will think of the other girl, who nods and lowers herself to a conversationally easy level. "The captain over there, number 37, that's Jackson, my boyfriend, and Danny his best friend." She points out the two sluggish people in the throng of students and waves at Jackson who sees her in the stands. Cora nods, wondering why she's bothering with this meet and greet. "If you're free we're having a hurrah at the Jungle later, also a cheer up for Danny, you should come." Cora tilts her head lightly, "why tell me? Especially since that would mean fake IDs, and you don't even know me." 

The girl looks at her, an expression of victory plastered across her face, "Well, first, for you to know what that means you already scouted the place out. So you were probably already getting those oh so dangerous fake IDs, now you just don't have to worry about buying yours. Two you clearly know what you're doing with that jacket and those boots, which so few people in this town can say. Three, I'm Lydia Martin, and now we know each other." She extends her hand like the queen of England about to knight someone. Cora looks at it and smiles, she's always liked the idea of being a knight. "Cora Hale, and here I thought this vacation was going to be dull." She settles back in and watches the practice with her new friend, she has plans tonight.  
\-----

 

Stiles watches Lydia settle in next to another girl on the bleachers, the other girl is really rocking the bad ass biker chick look. What is Lydia saying? She smiles, waves at Jackson and promptly goes back to her conversation with the girl, they shook hands. "Oh shit," Stiles curses was this chick new to their school? Had a bombshell come to their school without his info network telling him!? What is the world coming to. "Scott how has the grapevine failed me on THAT!" He turns and sees Scott clutching his head. He's worried, after what Scott told him about the previous night he gets ready to usher Scott off the field when they hear Jackson's voice. "McCall, if you aren't up for it drop now, let a spot open up for someone who can actually play!" Stiles is about to retort for Scott when Scott shakes off his arm and whips the ball past Jackson's head, and into the net leaving Jackson and Danny stunned. Lydia lets out a cheer from the stands, Jackson unleashes his most Jackson-style death glare on Stiles and Scott. Scott barely seems to notice, "you okay?" Stiles asks very concerned now. "Yeah," Scott responds sounding dazed but kind of pleased with himself. "I think that maybe I just need to move a bit, I feel much better."  
Stiles keeps an eye on Scott for the rest of practice, which it turns out is more difficult than normal. He's actually engaging in practice, not super humanly but way more than Scott normally does. Jackson takes several opportunities to try and thwart him. At least once he did so with an illegal move while Finstock is yelling at someone else. This only seems to encourage Scott though. The next time Jackson tries something Scott uses the momentum of dodging him to swing a curve ball into the net. This earns a stunned look from Finstock whose whistle falls out of his open mouth. An absolutely withering glare from Jackson that would solidify Scott's place on his shit-list forever, and an appreciative whistle from the girls in the stands.  
\-----

 

After the game Scott is downing several large gulps of water, while he'd been playing and moving the pounding in his head finally abated. He's sore, his body feels heavy, and his lungs burn but he feels good. Like he's finally throwing his all into something. Stiles walks up to him looking slightly annoyed. "Why can't you do secret kung-fu lacrosse practice with me? Maybe I want to show Jackson up and get cat called by Lydia!" Scott turns to face Stiles smiling broadly. "I'm pretty sure that the other chick was the one whistling, plus, I haven't been practicing any harder than usual, it just felt easier to move today. I don't know how else to describe it." Stiles takes in this knowledge, "So you just have a good day? Despite a migraine, sleep deprivation, and an asthma attack the night before?" Scott shrugs, he's about as confused as Stiles, but unlike Stiles one good day doesn't concern him. "I dunno, but one good day isn't that big of a deal, you'd probably realize that if you hadn't been reading crazy wolf-lady journals late into the night."

Stiles begins to argue in favor of the many varied uses of history, folklore, and knowledge about prominent families lost in suspicious fires. "Seriously dude, that P.I. has gotten my dad shaken up. He wasn't even Sheriff when it happened!" Stiles moans, "he should not be this invested!" Scott considers this, walking towards the locker room exit. "He was a deputy when it happened though," Scott says holding the door for Stiles who looks distracted enough to have walked into it. "He probably still feels responsible, especially since he got in trouble for not letting it go when it happened, this is his chance to feel like he's not crazy." Stiles considers this, "well yeah, but that's not gonna help if he drives himself crazy doing it." Scott smiles as they pass the office, but that's when he stops there's a parent signing a new student into the office. Scott's distracted by the student, she's wearing a wispy yet chaste light pink top, and blue jeans, her hair is dark, cascading over her shoulders. Scott is speechless, she turns, and Scott's completely taken. She looks, tired. Not the physical exhaustion he feels but something more weary. She smiles, and waves, Scott numbly raises his hand and waves back. Dropping his duffle bag in the process. She laughs a little behind her hand, Scott smiles oblivious to the world.  
\-----

 

Jackson tears through the halls after Danny, "you need to help me find out how McCall got those moves!" Danny sighs, "why would I know anything about Scott we don't hang out." Jackson looks a little affronted, "because you know a little about everyone and a lot about a few, and everyone likes you." Danny blinks, confused at first, then he thinks of course Jackson would be perceptive the minute he needs it for something. Danny looks tired "Why do you care? You're going to be captain again no matter what." Jackson snarls, "Lydia was cheering for him, and wolf-whistling." Ah, that's it, Danny knows this conversation well, "Lydia likes you Jackson, eventually you're going to need to trust that, she'd have broken up with you a while ago otherwise. She was cheering the team, and the wolf-whistle was coming from the girl next to her. Who is apparently joining us at the Jungle this evening." Danny doesn't mention Cora Hale's name, that is much to interesting a piece of information and he isn't entirely sure of it's implications yet. Jackson blanched, "why there?" Danny shrugs, Jackson may have been cool with Danny's disinterest in Lydia's "coin slot" but that didn't mean he was any more secure than usual. "Ask your girl-friend both the outing and inviting the other girl were her idea."  
\-----

 

Cora slips into their room and makes her way over to Derek who is still sound asleep. He's so certain of his enhanced senses warning him of danger. Unfortunately for him he isn't the only one who's been hanging out with uncle Peter. She fishes an ice cube out of the soda in her hand and in one swift motion drops it on the back of his exposed neck and is already racing for the bathroom when he releases a surprised, tired, and very undignified yelp. "CORA!" Derek shouts as she shuts the door, "I need to use the bathroom then shower, your food is on the dresser!" 

Derek grumbles, and scowls, she got him a burger and curly fries, he sits and eats. Taking bites slowly and methodically the shower runs for awhile. "I want a full report on what you did while I was out!" He knows Cora heard him and is probably rolling her eyes or flipping him off, or both. Cora exits the bathroom a little later, "I found out where Laura is staying directions are also on the dresser oh blind old man," she says getting into her dress to impress clothes. Derek narrows his eyes suspiciously, "why are you wearing the tank top? Why did you bring the tank top?" Cora shoots him her most winning smile. "Some of us remember fun as a concept, I'm hanging out with a couple of Beacon Hills high students tonight, they want to go to a place called Jungle supposed to be very nice. Don't worry," she said stealing a curly fry. "I'm taking the map, Laura was asleep all day, like you, and will probably spend tonight doing what I was. Also I may have a lead on some info from these kids so we're golden." Derek wants to argue but can't there's something Cora's leaving out, she's never this reasonable, unless she's playing a long con. "Just remember our goals align, she probably wants to spite Laura for keeping her out of the loop" Derek thinks, trying to sooth his paranoia. It's not working, he's lived with Cora too long for it to work.  
\-----

 

Cora had been right, though Derek will never admit it to her face, Laura is currently doing everything Derek had sent her out to do earlier that day. He's not thrilled at all about having to follow Laura on this, especially when she had been clearly on the phone with her P.I. but he hadn't dared sneak closer to eaves drop. He's been following her all night it's about 10:00PM, then he notices it. Large blaring neon lights, booming bass he could hear from the car, small conga line of scantily cloathed intoxicated men outside. Jungle, a gay bar, that would require fake IDs, of course, he'd known she had ulterior motives, he'd known she was up to something. He turned back to the road, Laura has already turned a corner out of sight and he wont be able to catch up now. "Damnit!" Derek curses eyes turning pale blue and glowing slightly. He parks the car, storms into the building and attempts to hunt down Cora's scent. Which is unbearably difficult in this seething mass, of lust, desperation, intoxication, and exhibition.  
\-----

 

Danny is quite amused, two hours and Jackson has settled into a grouchy stupor having decided he needs to pout because Danny has been hit on more times than him. What did he expect the way he's been clinging to Lydia like he was terrified of being swept away? Cora it turns out is a lot more fun for Danny than Lydia. She's dragged him out to the dance floor, chatted it up with some of the guys out there; generally acted like a competent wing-man. During a pause between songs and the latest round of flirting he looks at her, "you've done this before." She shrugs and smirks in a ridiculously smug way, she's good at playing coy but she likes the appreciation clearly, and manages to brag without speaking. Danny feels better tonight than he has since his break-up, Lydia has even managed to drag Jackson onto the dance floor, where he's actually pretty good once he's loosened up. That's when Danny notices him; tall dark, and very attractive with a light dusting of stubble, he looks out of his element, and very on edge. A good person would go over there and help this poor soul, and Danny decides he's feeling particularly saintly tonight. He meanders over to the man, seemingly oblivious to the wicked smile on Cora's face.  
\-----

 

Derek hates this place he's been touched, and pinched, and the music's too loud, the colors too bright and the smells are the worst, he needs to find Cora and leave. That's when someone sidles up to him, "it's pretty clear you aren't super comfortable here." The boy, and that's what he is, he isn't older than sixteen, has dark skin, even beneath the blue tinted lights it's clear. Despite the unwelcoming words his smile is fairly warm like he sympathizes with Derek, which he may, though the florescent body paint and posture makes him look perfectly at home. "I'm not," Derek replies, "I'm looking for my sister, she's about your age." The kid cocks his head to the side; "My age? How old do I look?" Derek sighs, "I know you're probably about sixteen or seventeen I'd be deluded if I didn't think kids snuck in here." The kid smiles, and leans in so as not to shout but it's a really intimate, borderline flirty move. "Not so loud, I'm guessing you're looking for Cora? She mentioned a brother and a sister, and guessing from the look I left her with she's having the time of her life at your expense." So this is one of the kids she mentioned, he's perceptive, probably not usually this chatty but the alcohol on his breath explains most of that away. Unfortunately Perceptive is dangerous.

That's when Derek hears it, a shrill, mean laugh, "Damn Der-bear, I didn't think this was your scene, I was hoping you'd be uncomfortable, but maybe you do know fun! I was just barking up the wrong tree on your kind of 'fun'." Cora, evil little gremlin that she is, has been watching the whole interaction. Derek growls low in his throat earning him a look from the boy. "Danny, I love you to much to not tell you, you are way out of my brother's league," Cora saunters up to them dodging out of Derek's reach when he grabs for her. Danny sags he likes Cora but she's clearly using him to continue making her brother uncomfortable, he doesn't appreciate that, so when Derek makes another grab at her he holds her wrist. She looks at him and he gives her a resigned smile back and she averts her gaze. "We are going to discuss this outside NOW," Derek is speaking low and growling Cora is about to retort when she saw the electric blue light of his eyes. She pouts, but nods, she's overstepped herself here, Derek being pissed is nothing new but she'll have to apologize to Danny later.  
\-----

 

"What were you thinking?!" Derek grips the steering wheel, his knuckles white, "even if we weren't trying to stay under Laura's radar that was stupid. What if you were caught!" Cora sits in the front seat curled up, "I wanted to have some fun, they were cool people and they know a fair amount about this town. I didn't thi-" Cora didn't get to finish. "Exactly you didn't think, and don't try to tell me you didn't think I'd catch you. You dropped the name of the club either so I'd come looking, or find out later. I know you too well to for you to bullshit me like that Cora." Derek deflates slightly, "why Cora? Why go through all this, was it just for the reaction?" Cora leans back, "I told you why, I like them Derek they're cool, I haven't met very many people I can just relax with." Derek knows the sentiment, "your friends at-" now it's his turn to be interrupted. "What friends Derek? I spend most of my time with you, Laura, and Peter's family. I have since the fire! You think you're the only one who feels like they can't trust anyone? I figured we'd be gone in a week so I could let loose a little." 

Derek looks at her, trying to determine if this is another ploy, she's picked up more than sneaking from Peter, the man could be very manipulative if he feels he needs to. What he saw was resignation, "doesn't matter anyway, I fucked it up." Derek's confused by that, "Did Laura see you?" The look Cora gives him makes him flinch, "no, dumb-ass, Danny, I used him to make you uncomfortable and he knew, he's smart." Derek took it in, she sounds genuinely remorseful, and if they could make Cora feel bad for doing something like this they couldn't be all bad.  
"Then apologize," she looks at him startled that was something Derek didn't get to see very often. "Go to the school tomorrow and apologize, make it up to him. If you want forgiveness Cora, you need to be better to show you deserve it." Cora recovers herself a bit, "thanks," then she's back in her element . "This wasn't entirely selfish, when Lydia introduced me to Danny and Jackson they mentioned some kid talking about a quote 'crazy Hale grandma'." Derek shot her a panicked look, "They know your name!?" Cora gives him the "you're an idiot look" again "they would have been ten when the fire happened Der." Derek scowls, well harder than he'd already been scowling, back to square one of project defrost Derek. "Their parents wouldn't have been," Cora turns to him, "Oh my god Derek! Where you ever really a teenager? They aren't going to bring that up with their parents." 

Derek isn't convinced but then again, he hadn't told Talia everything he did, in fact he'd gone out of his way to avoid that, though that felt like another life. Maybe the current him really hadn't been a teenager. "Do you know who mentioned the 'crazy Hale grandma'?" Derek asked, Cora looks at him and smiles all teeth, "Silinski, apparently he and his friend Scott are on the lacrosse team. Want me to ambush them tomorrow?" Derek shakes his head, "No, not unless you need to, I want to see what Laura knows first." If she'd actually tell him, they both think bitterly.  
\-----

 

Scott is at home when it happens, the head aches had been bad all day, now he decides to move it worked at practice he thinks. Scott leaves his home jogging out into the night, but he forgets his inhaler.  
\-----

 

A hiker on the road outside of a small town in northern California hears something growling behind him. There are two red eyes on a large black dog, glowing with malice, steaming drool oozing from it's mouth. He runs dropping his pack, the thing behind him barking. He hits a hole or a root or something, rolling to a stop. Tears streaming down his face, his leg on fire with agony, he reaches for the flare gun, it's on his pack. At the top of the ridge, the barking and baying of hounds is getting closer.


	2. Death in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I which Stiles makes an ill timed joke, Allison is formally introduced, and Laura has it out with Deaton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, next piece of the story, just a heads up this will be the last post for a bit. I'm changing the layout a bit (it's more clear in later chapters) but I'm trying to use more smaller more digestible paragraphs. Please excuse the occasional purple prose, I am trying to keep in minimal. Also anyone not my editor who can spot the crossover cameo, you get all the all the love.

John has been up since two, the screams had started at just past midnight. The Sheriff's officers started the search at around two thirty, and found the body just now, at around seven. It's a grisly piece of work, animal attack, but the body mostly just looks torn not eaten. The wounds are also septic, which is strange since all indications said that the man had looked fine going through the rangers station yesterday. His face is untouched, eyes clouded in death and his expression a rictus of terror. It's been a while since John has seen a body this bad, most predators were ambush hunters, like mountain lions, but this. He'd seen it coming, ran, broke his leg in a fall, and then torn apart. Worse yet, there were no tracks save the hiker's. This was going to be a long day, and John needed more coffee.  
\-----

 

Further down the mountain from the gory mess, in a parking lot outside the preserve Laura sits on a bench waiting for her PI. A car pulls up, Le Baron not exceptionally fancy but a clearly well loved car, once it parks a woman about Derek's age steps out. Laura's surprised maybe this wasn't her PI. "Ms. Aries?" she asks tentatively reaching out a hand to the woman who laughs a bit, but shakes the offered hand hand. "Please, call me Kristen, and I know I look young for this business but I'm nothing if not professional." Laura smiles, "you said you'd found something, why all the cloak and dagger?" Kristen lowers her hand her smile fading, “listen, there's a lot suspicious about the fire, but the insurance company ruled it an 'accident' and the Sheriff's department rolled with their decision." She looks a little bitter, "unfortunately I couldn't get access to the direct records, the guy whose become Sheriff since is actually competent, which isn't something I'm overly used to. That said, I did get a few copies from a very nice deputy, every department has it's gaps after all." 

Looking slightly smug, she reaches into the back seat of her car. "This is what I managed to get" she carefully removes a sealed evidence box, "apparently the rest of the evidence was being 'looked over'." She smiles fondly, "I think you may have better luck getting this Sheriff to talk than me, he reminds me of someone I know." Laura is a bit perplexed by this comment, as she was about ask what she meant. Kristen continues, "You have my contact info, and I've included a person I have in the City Records, sorry I can't get you more, I'll do what I can from my end but I have a backlog of other cases back home. I'm waving the other half of my fee." Laura is taken aback, "that's not necessary you've done quite a bit more than I expected!" Kirsten looks like she's tasted something incredibly sour, "no, I should have gotten you answers, all I found was what looked like a cover-up. That said this was something that had been done to be thorough, I think it was luck that as many of your family survived as they did. You need to be careful and think very hard about who your family as a whole might have made this much an enemy of. I'll keep in contact, if I find something else or any of my other contacts do I'll message you." Laura smiled, she was grateful, now she knew it hadn't been an accident, "Thank you, if any future information you give me points us in the right direction though, I'm paying the last of your fee, it's the least we could do."

\-----

Derek and Cora are in the camero parked across the highway from their sister. They are watching Laura meet with a blonde woman about Derek's age, he's making an exceptional frown, she looks way to young to be a PI, maybe she 's the assistant? Cora whines next to him face to the binoculars, "I can't tell what they're saying, I wish one of us had learned to read lips. Why can't we go closer?" Derek fixes her with the same "really?" look she often threw his way. The woman handed Laura a box, they talk a little bit further, then the possible PI gets in her car and drives away. Laura gets out her cell and dials,  
Derek's phone rings causing both he and Cora to jump and look guilty. "You wanted to know why we couldn't get in ear-shot?" Cora turns slightly red but still sticks her tongue out at Derek. "Hello Laura," Derek sounds mildly annoyed, which is Derek normal. "Derek, please don't take that tone with me, I'm just checking in, how's Cora?" Cora looks at Derek she wants to see what he'll do here. "Annoying, she seems to think a new leather jacket, and boots is all she needs for school this year."  
Cora raises an eyebrow like she's impressed, then immediately says "Tattletale!" just loud enough to be heard over the phone. She goes back to watching Laura through the binoculars. Derek tilts the phone so she could hear. "Derek's right Cora, please try not to be too hard on him, I'm sure this year will be better." Cora smirks, Derek has learned to keep an extra close eye on her when she has that look. "It will certainly be more interesting, that's for sure, so when are you coming home?" Derek hears Laura sigh, Cora frowns at whatever expression of Laura's she was witnessing. Laura is currently flipping through some of the papers in the cardboard box. "Not for a while probably, some stuff came up, Derek will make sure you get to school on time, right Derek?" Derek makes a face he usually reserves for Cora. "Or we could come and help you." Cora looks at him like he's, hopeless still trying to do this the "right" way. "Derek no, stay home and get Cora to school, we had this conversation. Cora, please try not to give Derek a hard time I don't want to come home to a conference about your attendance, again." Cora rolls her eyes and is back to the business of stalking "yes mom." The line clicks an goes dead, "you owe me five bucks I told you she likes being called mom" Cora says triumphantly. Then she notices how upset Derek looks, he hates being out of the loop, and he hates having no control. "Talk to your friends, find out what they know about this Stilinski kid." Cora grins maybe her brother would come around after all.  
\-----

 

Mountain ash was surprisingly difficult to get, so were a few of the other things the journal had mentioned. Stiles is however nothing if not persistent and resourceful. He'd managed to get Angelica, several different flavors of dog and wolfsbane, mountain ash, and a few other odds and ends. He's been practicing since he found the journal and is now willing to try something special. Throwing down some runes and braiding the amaranth into the correct shape is way more of a pain then it should have been, but by the end of the morning he has everything he needs for a test run. He slips his impromptu bracelet over his wrist and heads out.  
He tries to sneak up on Scott in the crowded hallway but finds high school hallways are way harder to navigate when people are ignoring you. He almost gets to Scott but is forced to give up, he shouts but Scott simply sighs and leaves, heading towards their first class.  
"Why are you shouting?" a voice next to Stiles asks he turns to see Erica Reyes standing next to him. She's wearing a white shirt, her medical bracelet stark against her ashen skin. She looks better today then usual, still haggard but less sickly or like her meds were trying to kill her as much as her epilepsy. Stiles grumbles, "social invisibility is something I'd already mastered I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic then not being noticed." Erica gives him a side glance but her face is twisted into a bitter smile, "that I understand but, trust me, shouting doesn't help." Stiles looks at her surprised but as soon as she's a few steps away it's like she'd forgotten he existed. Stiles sighs, going unnoticed could be useful but here it was just annoying, and dangerous if the number of times the school had almost trampled him was anything to go on. He slips the weave off his wrist, and makes a note in his own journal, marked with a decent number of This is Not Interesting, and Glance Over, charms.  
\-----

 

Jackson is thankful that Stilinski had actually managed to be quiet today, but the constant fiddling in his backpack and with his stuff is annoying as hell. Danny might be content to ignore it and they don't have class with Lydia until third period. Jackson feels out numbered, Stiles notices Jackson sneering at him. He rolls his eyes and pulled something out of his shirt pocket, and then. It's weird it was almost like he goes still and Jackson can finally ignore him. It stays that way for the rest of class. Jackson has no idea what it is but it still unnerves him, sure Stiles not annoying the piss out of him was good, but this feels unnatural.  
\-----

 

Allison is nervous, her first day of class, her first day truly pretending to be normal after her mother's accident. She'd been tied up and abandoned in a warehouse, had to cut herself free and get home from being left in the woods. Trained in boxing, knife fighting, and Krav maga, and now she has to pretend she's normal, just another awkward teenager hoping to get through school. It feels like a lifetime ago since a pop quiz or date to the formal was her biggest worry. To think, she would ever have been thrown by something as inoccuous as a lost pen. Like the one she's currently missing, well, shit.  
\-----

 

Scott is in the middle of a crisis, the girl he saw yesterday walks into his first period history class. She seems deep in thought ignoring the obvious leering from Jackson's cronies. Taking the seat next to him, she has a light blue sweater with slightly too long sleeves, black skinny jeans, and her hair is parted, held in place by clips so it's out of her face but still cascading across her shoulders. She sits next to him, this gorgeous way out of his league girl is sitting next to him. Scott's brain kicks into overdrive, "crap, say something, do something, she's looking for something! Scott think! Pen offer her your pen." Scott lamely holds out one of his pens after getting her attention, she looks slightly perplexed, but also like he'd just saved her from a bullet. She smiles "Um, thanks," she looks at him expectantly, "Oh! uh, Scott, that's me, Scott McCall!" He says a little too fast immediately reprimanding himself internally. She laughs, but in an endeared way, utterly without malice. "Alright Scott McCall, I'm Allison Argent." Scott looks like he melted a bit, happy puppy smile spreading across his face. Until he notices Jackson seething in the corner, and a piece of paper hits his head. he turns to see Stiles grinning like a maniac giving him a thumbs up. He looks up and internalizes a "fuck the world", luckily Allison doesn't seem to notice.  
\-----

 

Three hours later Scott is panicking as only a sixteen year old boy can. While heading to lunch he notices Allison standing at her locker retrieving a jacket. Lydia marches up to her, before Scott can say anything, the two are conversing. Jackson arrives he and Lydia share a kiss and Scott slumps his shoulders heading towards lunch. Lydia had her now, there was no escape.  
\-----

 

Danny trudges off the field after practice Jackson had immediately run over to Lydia to start being obnoxiously couple like. How much of that is Jackson's feelings for Lydia and how much is Jackson's theatrics for everyone else's sake Danny can't guess. Well actually he can, in this case it's probably somewhere around thirty Jackson's feelings, seventy showing-off. Danny takes a swig of water and nearly chokes when someone behind him speaks up. Cora looks sheepish and embarrassed and starts apologizing profusely as Danny coughs. "I'm so sorry I wasn't trying to surprise you honest!" Danny glances at her tired, "why are you back?" She looks at the ground, "I wanted to apologize, I used you to make Derek uncomfortable and that was really shitty of me."

Danny looks at her, she seems remorseful. "Yes it was a shitty thing to do," Danny sighs, "but thank you, I don't think you meant to use me you just took advantage of an awkward situation. Still shitty, but I don't feel manipulated, just a little used." Cora looks up at him instead of studying the ground. "Is there a way I can make it up to you? I do like you guys, your probably the most fun people I've met in this middle of nowhere... Sorry that's mean." Danny is laughing now "No meaner than Jackson tends to be, also true so I wont hold it against you. I told Lydia and Jackson you had a family emergency I figured getting dragged out and yelled at by your brother was punishment enough so don't worry too much." 

Cora lets out a breath relieved, it's short lived though. "If you want to make it up to me you can tell me why the Hales are back in town investigating a half-decade old fire." Cora becomes tense, "So you know? Wait. How do you know?" Danny smiles, "Stiles' dad is the Sheriff, and apparently your investigator has him on edge. He's been complaining to Scott since school started, probably longer than that. You mentioned your name, and your brother's; who by the way still has a photo with the basketball team in the hall outside the gym." Cora looks genuinely impressed, "alright but this is on the down low okay?" Danny looks at her askance, "I don't like gossip, I just like knowing things." He shrugs, "call it a hobby," Cora is smiling now "The investigator is my sisters doing, technically Derek and I are supposed to be back home getting ready for the school year. Though if she thinks we're going to let her waltz about Beacon Hills looking into our oh so tragic past and leave us out of the loop, she should really know better." Danny nods, he's used to people deflecting with humor. "Well, I think Stilinski and Scott both left already but I can tell you what I know." Cora's smile grows it's unsettling, "Danny I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, you know you're giving me your facebook right?" Danny shakes his head, "You are incorrigible, and I figure I'll regret this, but yes, I will give you my facebook."  
\-----

 

On the other side of the field moving towards the locker room, Scott is smiling and bouncing about like an overgrown puppy at Stiles' continued frowning. "Seriously, it's not fair," Stiles yawns. "I was up all night two nights in a row and you get a good night sleep by what?" Scott laughs, "running Stiles, I went for a run, and slept like a baby, I'm not obsessing over a journal written by a crazy dog-lady that I nixed from the Sheriff's evidence pile." Stiles threw up his arms in exasperation, "it's all over the table and counters, my room is the only place that doesn't have house fire evidence in it!" Scott gives him a smug look, Stiles could slap him, “don't you dare Scott!” Scott grins wider, "Keeping the journal in the bathroom then?" Stiles starts mock slapping him and Scott breaks down laughing, "bathroom air vent? Stiles I thought you had more class than that!" Stiles groans "Scott, shut up! Oh my god, I will take your best friend card!" Scott's ducking out of Stiles' reaching "No you wont, you enjoy mooching my mom's meat loaf too much for that! Empty threats Stilinski they get you nowhere!"

Stiles immediately charges after his best friend towards the locker room. "You look like you're having fun." Scott turns, Allison is walking out on to the field, from where she'd been in the stands with Lydia. Scott didn't expect to see her, or for her to come talk to him, his mouth is failing him like the traitor it is. "This was my first time watching a lacrosse practice, you looked good out there" She says to him. Scott is smiling his lost to the world smile. Sitles realizes he'll have to step in. "Normally I'd say you should have your eyes checked, but I think someone here has been doing secret lacrosse-fu practice without me." Scott looks at Stiles embarrassed, "have not, it's almost impossible to practice on your own!" Jackson and Lydia stroll over followed by Danny and the girl from yesterday. Jackson feeling the need to again prove his existence is the actual worst opens his mouth. "Don't get your hopes up Allison, McCall's useless, he'll be benched this season too." Danny speaks up at this, "so I didn't overhear Finstock talk about making him first line?" Jackson swings around to look at Danny like he'd just been betrayed. Danny shrugs "he'll find out sooner or later anyway. So Allison, you coming to the party after the scrimmage?"

Allison makes a wry expression, Friday's kind of a family night for us, but we'll see. Stiles takes this moment to interrupt, "maybe not what with the recent animal attacks." Allison and Cora both look alarmed and in unison ask "What animal attacks?" Then stare at each other faces turning slightly red. Stiles looks at them grinning wildly, "Yeah, this morning some hiker was mauled, and there have been other reports, probably some feral dogs. But you never know maybe it's werewolves!" Stiles makes a snarly lunging gesture. Lydia pointedly ignores him, Jackson calls him a "freak", Allison and Cora look distinctly unamused, Scott begins pushing his best friend away towards the locker room. "Or you could actually get some sleep tonight instead of reading an old lady's amateur fiction." Stiles flips Scott off, which is sight given he's still wearing his bulky lacrosse gloves, but allows himself to be removed from the field with minimal protest.

Cora looks at them all, "I should probably head out too. Lord knows my brother is going to flip his lid again if I'm late, I'm on probation for yesterday." Lydia looks at her, "he found your fake ID Lydia, I already got it back, but I'll need to be a bit more careful now." Lydia nods, "hope you can also make the party on Friday." Then she locks arms with Allison and promptly marches towards the car announcing that she's sure she can convince Allison's parents to let her out this Friday. Cora heads out leaving the Danny, Jackson mess to its owners. As soon as she's suitably far away she punches Derek's number, and is greeted by her brother's surly voice. "What is it Cora?" She huffs petulantly, "nice to talk to you too sunshine, we've hit a snag." Derek sighs but he's listening, "the Stilinski kid is the Sheriff's son, and it sounds like he may have gotten a hold of one of Nana Tabitha's journals. Derek is quiet, "shit, at least no one would believe what she's written." Cora grimaced, "I dunno Der, he smelled like an herb shed, and he's a weird kid, some people would believe what she wrote, we did." Derek grumbles, Cora is undaunted, in for a penny she thinks. "There's one more thing, a hiker got mauled, Stilinski said they think it's rabid dogs, I'm not so sure the way he jumped to his werewolf joke." Derek's breath hitched, "come back to the motel now Cora, we're leaving tonight."  
\-----

 

Allison is driving home carefully. After dropping Lydia off, it had started raining heavily. She's amused, tonight was the first time she'd seen anyone make her father nervous, while forcing him to remain civil. Lydia had been very persuasive with her father who was frowning fifteen minutes into her debate speech. By the end he relented said Allison could go to the party as long as she was willing to double time Thursday and Saturday gymnastics. She agreed, at which point she had to go over all the fine points of gymnastics with Lydia on the ride home. Suddenly a small white dog darts out into the road Allison slams down on the breaks, she's too slow, there's a thump. She rushes out to check the damage. The dog looks hurt but alive she gently puts it into her car, turns around and starts towards the animal hospital she'd just passed,.  
\-----

 

Scott has just finished with the puppy cages. He hates the puppy cages, but now they are over, everyone is fed and he could relax. Someone banging on the door interrupts his brief but sweet delusion. Scott sighs, hoping Deaton wasn't back early, that would mean he'd forgotten something. And would likely ask Scott to run the errands, since he was finished. He shuffles his way to the door only to see a very wet, unhappy, Allison holding a puppy. "Uh, hi" he says opening the door for her, she makes her way inside. "I'm so glad someone was still here it ran into the road in front of me, and I hit it." She sounds so guilty and desperate that Scott takes the dog from her and offers her a clean towel from the back. Examining the puppy, it looks like a sprain maybe a mild fracture Deaton would be able to examine it when he got back. "Doctor Deaton is out right now, I don't see any major trauma but he can examine the dog more thoroughly when he gets back." 

Allison looks relieved, she watches Scott. While he was examining the dog he'd looked so focused and single minded but now he had a smile and that same focus, on her. She smiles back despite herself, "Lydia got my dad to let me go Friday, will I see you there?" Scott beams when a voice speaks up behind them. "Assuming he helps me take care of this last minute patient I don't think I'll need him on Friday." Allison whips around ready to draw one of her knives if necessary, Scott just looks startled. The man standing in the doorway with a bag of supplies in each hand simply smiles a kind, knowing smile. "Oh Doctor Deaton, I didn't hear you come in, sorry, Allison just brought in a stray, small amount of trauma, sir but I was waiting for you to do a thorough examination." Deaton nods, "you did a decent preliminary, please escort your friend out help me with this and then you can leave early tonight. I have an unexpected guest." Scott smiles and walks Allison back to her car, "well I should get back, see you on Friday?" She smiles at him, "definitely." 

Scott walks back and helps Deaton finish his examination, on his way out he sees the guest Deaton had mentioned. She's fairly tall in a light jacket, she has dark brown hair, she seems familiar but Scott can't place it. Scott cocks his head to the side, "have we met before?" The woman looks at Scott bemused, "I don't believe so, I'm just visiting from San Fransisco, Alan is an old friend of my family." Deaton walks in sighing slightly, "I haven't spoken to anyone in your family since you left Beacon Hills Laura," Scott looks confused. "You should head home Scott, Laura and I have some catching up to do." Scott nods, and makes his way out the door, "nice to meet you then." He says as he passes Laura.  
\-----

 

As soon as the boy Deaton employs leaves Laura turns to Deaton, "Alan I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, but please I need your help." Deaton sighs again, "Laura I hadn't seen anyone in your family for a while before the fire, your uncle and I had, a falling out. Talia, Nickolas and occasionally your father would come in, but it was rare." Laura looks at him pleading eyes in full effect, "What happened to my family Deaton? It wasn't an accident was it?" Deaton looks sad almost remorseful, "Laura this wont end well, there are very dangerous people who went to a lot of trouble to keep this buried." Laura is angry now, "then you know who did it? Damnit Deaton! I'm the alpha! Do you know why? After the fire was over I found Talia, her alpha status kept her alive but it wouldn't last, and she'd never fully recover. She begged me Deaton, my mother begged me to put her down!" Deaton isn't wavering, "So you could protect your siblings, the people who were left. I don't know who exactly set the fire but I'd suggest looking into your mother's role in the community, contact your aunt if you need to. Other than that there's only one thing I can give you." 

He goes to a cabinet and removes a lovingly wrapped package next to jars of herbs and chemicals. Laura could smell they were potent, probably rare. "About a month before the fire your grandmother gave me this, she said that you would likely need it when you returned. She said she didn't know why you'd leave but she said you would, and that you'd be back. I don't know though, I haven't read it." Laura can't tell if he's lying or not, he could be Deaton always liked to have the upper hand in information, and if anyone could circumvent her hearing it was him. "Thank you Alan, I'm sorry for yelling at you." Deaton waves it off like it's nothing, "if you do choose to rebuild please, feel free to come by more, I have missed. Most of your family." Laura smiles a strained smile, "I'm guessing being an alpha still doesn't entitle me to know what happened between you and Peter?" Deaton shakes his head, "it wasn't pack business, though Peter likely justifies it as such." Laura turns to leave, "they're waiting for me so I don't know if I'll end up this way again. If I don't, thank you Alan, for all you did for our family." With that Laura departs, leaving Deaton to close up. She notices a bike still locked to the bike rack outside, she figured it had been the kids. Shrugging she makes her way over to her car, aware of the sensation of being watched but not seeing the bright forest green eyes watching her leave before departing its self, on the hunt.  
\-----

 

Lydia is out waiting for Prada to be done with her business so she can go back inside. Huffing as Prada goes stock still "Prada sweetie come on, I have things to do!" Prada seems to have other ideas as she dives under the veranda in her parent's yard. "Damn it Prada! Come out here right now!" She walks over to the veranda and as she's about to look underneath she hears it; a low dire growl behind her, she turns toward the dog. A big black thing with breath she could smell from where she stood, it's saliva dripping from teeth like knives. Its eyes glow a terrible shade of red. She backs slowly into the house, the thing lunges only to have the glass door slammed in it's face. The beast slammed against the door once, twice, before giving up pacing off to a shaded area of the yard fading from sight. Then Lydia hears it a noise that chills her to her core; more low growling, again coming from behind her, in the house...


	3. Stiles vs the Hales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Stiles finally gets to meet the Hales.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay hopefully updating will be more frequent. Also I forgot to mention, the dashes mean a small to occasionally large time skip and perspective shift.

Lydia ran, her feet scraping against the forest floor, she'd managed to escape the first hound by beaming it with her stilettos. Now two more have joined the first, she'll find her way to another building, she'll survive, Lydia is a survivor that's something she's always known. She screams hoping to get someones attention. To her left, she hears someone shout "duck!" She hits the ground ready to mace something. By the time she looks up, the person has made it over to her. A scrawny kid with freckles spattered across his face. He tosses some black powder into the air while whispering something under his breath. Lydia shuts her eyes expecting to get a face full of it instead the powder falls in a near perfect circle around them. She looks up in time to see one of the dogs leap at her. She screams, but nothing happens. The dog growls low in frustration, jumping again and bouncing off some unseen barrier just over the powder, that glows slightly when struck. The rest of the pack join in but they are as ineffective as the first.

Stiles throws up his arms in victory. "I did it! it worked! Oh thank you Granny Hale!" Lydia stares at him nonplussed. "Did you just bet our lives on a little old lady's amateur fantasy novel?" Stiles looks at her smile turning guilty, "uh... no?" Lydia looks at him like she is disappointed that he even tried, "so now what we stay inside the magic circle until they leave?" Stiles' face falls slightly. Then that a sound, blares through the forest, echoing around the trees and seeming to come from all directions. The dogs look around still growling. Now however the tone is different; it's defensive. A net is thrown into the pack and they scatter before it hits, taking off in all directions. A man enters the clearing stately, in hunting leathers and a fur cloak, he looks like he stepped out of a fantasy novel himself. His face is hidden by a helmet that clips around his head so as not to impede the ram horns jutting from his skull. He uses a strange archaic salute, Lydia narrows her eyes, Stiles just looks confused. The stranger then goes charging after the escaping dogs.  
\-----

They run for several minutes, until they're sure they aren't being followed, then Stiles brings Lydia to his home. "I have more mountain ash around the foundation, that stuff is really hard to find in bulk!" He explains blithely, Lydia looks at him irate, "so, how am I getting home?" Stiles turns to her, "I figured once we were sure those things aren't out there anymore I could drive you?" Lydia does not seem to agree, "Stiles, I spend my days trying to ignore you, I get my work done, go shopping, and watch whatever piques my interest on netflix. I do not deal with hellhounds and whatever other weirdness you are involved in. Now I think I'm going to wait here, for your father the Sheriff, and his firearms to take me home. You are going to be a gentleman and not mention this to anyone." Stiles deflates, he can see that he isn't going to win this. After waiting in silence for about five minutes she asks, "what were those things anyway?" Stiles looks at her, "uh, werewolves?" He couldn't think of anything else, that was all the journal had mentioned and even then it hadn't mentioned them specifically. Lydia shoots him a dangerous look, "I have never heard of werewolves teleporting." Stiles looks at her awestruck, "teleporting!?" Lydia is distinctly not impressed, "you're the expert, but yes teleporting, one went from outside my door to inside. I didn't notice it while they were chasing me but I got a good look while I was waiting in your magic circle." Stiles recovered, "huh, the journal didn't mention teleporting, healing: yes, claws: yes, teleporting: no." Lydia develops a sly smile, "a journal that talks about mountain ash, and magic circles, and werewolves?" Stiles, is worried now, " um, maybe." Lydia was about to really grill him when the Sheriff comes through the door. Noticing the disheveled young woman in their kitchen. "Company?" Stiles gapes, he's never been so relieved or startled to see his father. Lydia stands up "There are feral dogs out there, big ones, they attacked me, Stiles brought me here but I didn't want to go home without someone who could deal with those things." She plays up the terrified victim, Stiles isn't sure if she's acting or if she's just finally letting her mask slip. "One was in my house Sheriff, how did it get there?" John calms her down, shooting a questioning glance it his son who confirms her story.  
\-----

Lydia goes home in a police cruiser after her statement is taken, a small amount of dirt is found in her home near the far wall. Her dog is rescued from it's hiding place under the veranda. Finally the Sheriff found a set of paw prints. There one set in the kitchen, they were big, Lydia hadn't been kidding.  
\-----

Cora is walking down one of the side streets at the outskirts of Beacon Hills, the fight with Derek had been spectacular. She has her hood up against the rain that had finally lightened into a drizzle. She's not sure how long she's been walking. Derek wants to leave Beacon Hills, even going so far as to suggest they collect Laura. She'd called him a coward, and said that he and Laura weren't able to keep the family together. She regretted it, but right now she can't afford to think about it. Derek wants to drag her home, so she needs to find out whatever she can. She needs to hunker down somewhere for the night. She wanders the preserve for what feels like hours until she finds it, the one place she knows she'll never have to deal wth Derek. It's painful for her too, but she'd rather think of a next step among ghosts, ashes, and a leaky roof than dodging her scowling brother across town. First she'll sleep, then she'll confront the Stilinski kid. Then, if need be, she'll confront Laura. This was the first lead they had in years and Cora will be damned if she'll give up because Derek is panicking over what a sixteen year old might know. She falls asleep quickly comforted by that thought.  
\-----

The next morning Stiles is wandering the preserve, searching. He has to find it, it's probably the best lead he'll get out of the journal. He left the journal in the safety of his hiding spot, which is an excellent spot no matter what Scott thinks. Stiles has plenty of class and he damn well knows it, despite Scott dragging him down with the sheer force of his nerd. There it is, Stiles grins manically and begins to trot towards the burned out skeleton of a building in the middle of the woods like it's Santa's workshop.  
\-----

Derek had exhaustively searched all night, he knows where Cora went, she isn't as clever as she thinks she is. He just checked the other places to be sure. He most definitely isn't scared to go back to the ruins of his old home. Nope, not at all, that is an utterly stupid notion. Just like he is not, now, extremely angry at the scrawny freckled teenager currently skulking about said ruin.  
\-----

Stiles is positively giddy, he had spent all morning searching. Yeah he's probably going to be blowing off his first few classes but this? Worth it! And no Scott telling him it's a bad idea. Sure Scott had wanted to come, he wanted Scott to come, but Melissa has been watching him like a hawk since he forgot his inhaler on his little run earlier that week. He's just about to open the door when a very strong very angry man has him pinned to said door.  
\-----

Cora is having a lovely life, no fire, she'd grown up in Beacon Hills with a not high strung older brother, bonded with a snarky elder sister, and has both her parents. She went to a nice middle school, and then Beacon Hills high, and is friends with Lydia, Danny, and Jackson. That is until a loud bang and lots of shouting about private property bring her back to the shit-fest that is reality. Cora groans and peeks out the second story window of what had been her parent's bedroom. Derek has a kid in a bright red hoody pinned to the front door, and is currently shouting at him. "Okay, sorry, I didn't know this was your psycho serial killer lair, serves me right for exploring the woods by myself." Cora is impressed with Stiles' nerve, sassing an angry Derek without the benefit of being family is ballsy. Stupid, as Derek bouncing his head off the wall proved, but still ballsy. Cora winces and then promptly suppresses a groan of frustration at her brother's next question. "Why, is a kid who smells like an herb shop skulking around my property?!" Derek has no tact, how have hunters not put her poor stupid, brother out of her misery? It was probably Laura's doing, nope, it was definitely Laura's doing. Cora was about to intervene when she hears something that chills her to the bones.  
\-----

Stiles' ears are ringing, and he's about to start screaming and making all the usual undignified "Sheriff's son" incentives against violence when someone behind him and his attacker yells. "Derek Timothy Hale, what the hell are you doing here!" The man currently accosting Stiles whimpers and Stiles starts giggling at the absurdity of the situation. He turns around and sees the jerk who had ambushed him and the wonderful angel that is currently yelling at said jerk. Two things hit Stiles, hot damn, if he wasn't currently crushing on Lydia, and hadn't just been on the receiving end of this man's apparently hair-trigger temper he'd be crushing now. A fact that this guy seemed to sense given the way he had shifted awkwardly away from Stiles, though that may have more to do with the fact that the woman that showed up has noticed the assault on a minor. "A kid Derek, you were just assaulting a kid! I know you know better, and what are you even doing here!" She takes a breath, she looks a bit like the guy in a “we're clearly related” way, but also like someone else, that Stiles can't quite place. They both have the same dark hair and eye shape, and light grey eyes. Though Derek's eye brows are much thicker, combined with the grumpy face, and stubble dusted marble statue jawline, “dayum.” The woman seems to have somewhat composed herself, "Cora! Derek wouldn't be here on his own, I know you're out here somewhere!" She shouts, Derek looks like he's eager to earn back any sort of goodwill he might have. "She's inside, I tracked her here before I found this one skulking about." Cora pokes her head out the second floor window. "That's who this new person reminds him of" Stiles thinks. "Oh my god Derek you narc!" Stiles looks offended, "I was not skulking! Skipping maybe, like a kid in a candy store even, but I was making no attempt at stealth."

Laura looks between all three and lets out one of the most parental exasperated sighs Stiles has ever heard, which is impressive considering his dad is a long practiced master. Stiles tries to sneak away only to have Derek grab his hood mid step, "he has mountain ash on him I can smell it from here, so I'm guessing this is the Stilinski kid that has Nana Tabitha's journal." Cora slaps her face, "oh my god Der, how are you still alive, seriously." Laura shakes her head, "the Sheriff's son" she's laughing, slightly hysterically, "you aren't just assaulting a minor, but the Sheriff's minor. Way to go Derek I think you just raised my blood pressure more than Cora ever has." Cora looks offended now. "Hey!" Laura begins walking towards the door, "I think there's a long talk we all need to have, Stiles I would like it if you joined us please." Stiles is about to refuse the oh so generous and not at all creepy offer when Derek putting him in a fireman's carry makes it clear refusing is not an option. "Okay, creepy stare-down death talk, with the mysteriously returned and not dead Hale family it is. I had nothing else going on today anyway."  
\----

The group moves into what had once been the living room. The chandelier is grimy and tarnished but intact, as is the charred furniture and rug. It breaks the Hales hearts to see their home just recognizable enough to be remembered but still unlivable. Stiles sits where Laura gestures, distinctly uncomfortable, and not just with the moldy seat. The entire family looks scary, he could throw down his mountain ash but he doesn't know how fast they can move. Or if anyone would even find him, and they can wait him out. Laura sits on the remains of a highback chair with arm rests across from him. Derek stands behind her scowling his most intimidating scowl, and Cora flops on the couch like all this is a soap opera put on for her enjoyment. If she's going down she's at least going to enjoy the fireworks. Stiles fidgets constantly, Laura is unfazed. "Perhaps we should find out what everyone here knows so we can all be on the same general page. We can sort out the details from there." Laura says looking expectantly at Stiles, so the squishy human interloper is spilling first? Okay honestly that's, completely expected. "So," Stiles begins, "werewolves are an honest to goodness thing." Laura blinks slightly surprised, and Cora laughs. "That's jumping into it rather quickly. What makes you say werewolves?" She asks, realizing that this may have been a mistake as it allows Stiles to dive head-first into tangent mode.

"Well, I was kind of sure that your grandma was crazy when I first read it, no offense. Then I figured why the hell not try some of the stuff she wrote, and well, the basic stuff worked. Then I tried some of the other stuff and it turns out casting a ring of mountain ash makes an anti-werewolf force field. Though they may have been hellhounds or something, they didn't really act like werewolves, and I have it on good authority they can teleport. Also I don't think you guys were them because I'd probably be very dead right now if you were. You are werewolves though, I mean the journal didn't mention any names in conjunction with werewolves. Heck it didn't even mention werewolves, but anyone with half a brain could follow the lore easily. Which was cool, I could focus the research on the more difficult stuff like where to buy bulk mountain ash. Even if the journal didn't mention the Hale family, Sourwolf over there is not subtle in the least." Stiles gestures at Derek who growls low, Laura gives him a warning look, he is already in deep shit. Cora just starts giggling harder, trying valiantly, and failing spectacularly to repress the laughter when she also gets the same look.

"Then there are the charms and runes and stuff. Those things are pretty darn cool, dad hasn't even glanced at the journal I've been keeping, and the 'invisibility charm' though it should probably more accurately be called an 'ignore-me-braid' works wonders when I really don't want to be called on in a class; or have Jackson hate-glaring me the whole day." Stiles takes breath, he looks a little winded. Laura holds up her hand, "alright, Stilinski, it's alright breathe." Stiles looks up at her, "it's, uh, Stiles, please don't call me by my last name, only Jackson does that, or Scott when he's being a pain in the ass." Laura smiles and nods easily, "okay Stiles, I have a couple questions, answer those and we can go from there. I see no point in lying; yes, the remaining Hales are werewolves, and we can hear your heart beat, and can tell if you're lying." Stiles swallows audibly, his heart rate probably doing a great number of alarming things. "Do you know what happened here?" Stiles tilts his head a bit and does a strange neck twist like he has a cramp. "Only as much as anyone, big fire. Lots of dead people. Ruled an accident. Living people left town." He's speaking in short clipped sentences like this is an interrogation, which it kind of is.

"Ruled and accident? Your heart beat ticked there Stiles, you weren't lying but there's something you're not saying." Laura's voice is cold, and serious. Stiles' mouth hangs open slightly like he's sure he's just been punched. "Well, my dad thinks it was arson, he's been obsessing over this case since he was a deputy, almost got suspended for bothering the last Sheriff about it so much. Stilinski's don't really know when to let things go," Stiles shrugs. Laura relaxes a bit, "I see, and what do you think?" Stiles chews his lip, "I think you're here because your PI found something, I think you were probably worried about them and told them not to come." He gestures at Derek then to Cora. "They didn't listen, neither would I honestly, and now you gotta decide what to do with them. You could try to send them back but they would probably find a way to get back here. Here is still pretty dangerous though. Also if you're grilling me then you're still at pretty much square one as far as info on the fire goes." Laura raises an eyebrow, Derek gapes a bit, Cora lets out a low whistle, "damn kid! You could give Danny a run for his money." Stiles beams, Laura leans back in her seat.

"That's quite a theory," she says choosing her words with care. "This journal that revealed so much, where is it?" Stiles shrugs, "Can't tell you for a bunch of reasons." Derek takes a step forward like he is going to beat it out of Stiles. Laura grabs his arm and shakes her head, her eyes flashing red. Derek backs off, Cora sits up a little straighter, Stiles looks utterly enraptured. "I think I have two more questions, first, you said I looked like someone, so did another young man I met when visiting Alan, why?" Stiles looks confused, "Alan? Uh, well, Cora's been hanging out with Lydia and Jackson after our last lacrosse practices, and you guys have a very, uh, Hale bone structure." Cora laughs, "I'll take it as a compliment" she says shooting a look at Derek, who turns his scowl towards her. Laura ignores them, "then you must know the boy who works for Alan." Stiles cocks his head the other way like he's thinking, "Alan, uh, Alan..." his face lights up, "you know doctor Deaton?" Both the other Hales were now paying full attention to Stiles, who squirms under the new scrutiny. "My friend Scott works for him, how do you know him?" Laura smiles, to anyone who didn't know her it looks kind, almost motherly, but Derek and Cora had long ago learned to recognize the sly scheming edge to it. "Yes, Alan was our family's Druid Emissary before the fire, it's likely everything in that journal was something he provided. Our grandmother was a seer not a druid, so she would only know the basics, Alan on the other hand as a full Emissary would qualify as an expert." Stiles lights up like a firework at this information, he would definitely be walking Scott to work this afternoon. "Uh, the second question?" Laura, relaxes into a genuinely kind smile, "how do you feel about the fire? You've told us what the public knows, and what your dad thinks, but what do you think?"

Stiles looks at her pensively, "I think that it was set, I think my dad's right that it was arson, but I don't know why or how. I also know someone did a hell of a good job covering it up. I figure you probably know this already though, so this was a test for what?" Laura rests her head on her hand, "it's helped me decide what I'm going to do about this mystery and my troublesome siblings." She looks over everyone in the room. "I'm staying in Beacon Hills, I've found a lead and I refuse to give up this time. This was our home and I'm sick of living in a fearful exile. Since I can't trust my betas to follow explicit orders, clearly I need to be a constant presence in their lives, but I must still do what is best for them. Cora you will be starting at Beacon Hills high this Monday, I can have the paperwork pushed through by the weekend. Stiles, you may keep my grandmother's journal, with my blessing, and you may visit us as often as you need. On the condition that you help Cora, she'll have a mountain of homework after this week, and as someone in the know you can help her."

Cora groans, "Laura I have friends there, and they hate him!" Stiles looks slightly affronted, "only Jackson hates me, Lydia and Danny ignore me." Laura turns to Cora, her voice is ice, "he knows about us, that makes him your most valuable classmate." Cora slumps defeated, "sorry Stiles, looks like she's decided to adopt you. You should have run when you had the chance." Derek looks like he's sucking a lemon, but he can't decide if he hates the taste or not. "You may leave Stiles, I suspect I've kept you from your classes, and though that may not be of concern to you it is, as of now, of concern to me. As Cora said, I've decided I like you." Stiles is out of his seat and dashing out the door as fast as he could go, tripping and landing on his face on the way. "I'm okay, and thanks for not disemboweling me!" He shouts as he runs for his jeep.

Derek turns to his sister, "I'm guessing Deaton was distinctly unhelpful?" Laura looks at her brother askance. "Why would you say that?" Derek gives her a look. Which she ignores and simply continues smiling. "Because you just unleashed that kid on him, he probably won't give Deaton a moment's rest, which means he pissed you off." Laura smiles, "Stiles was only half right, Deaton gave me a lead, one I will likely have to earn, since he seems allergic to straight answers so yes, I am a bit sore. We aren't off of square one yet, but I can see the next few moves." She pulls a box out of her duffle bag, in it are three parcels and a leather bound book. "Nana Tabitha was busy, so we should be no less diligent. Now, what was it Stiles mentioned about Hellhounds?"  
\-----

Laura walks into the Beacon Hills Sheriff's office with her best innocuous bystander look. She smiles shyly as she walks towards the deputy on secretary duty. "Hello, I was wondering if Sheriff Stilinski is available?" The deputy clearly wasn't expecting this, "Do you have an appointment?" Laura smiles, "no, but I think it's time he and I talked, I'm guessing he'll agree, just tell him Laura Hale is here to see him if you could?" The deputy looks very confused and slightly intrigued. "Okay, I'll just, yeah" she gets up and makes a swift exit. Laura gathers two things while waiting. One, the Sheriff did not welcome her presence, and two the rest of the station clearly did. Apparently her investigator had caused a stir. "Ms. Hale," the Sheriff extends his hand as he approaches her, but the expression on his face and tension bleeding out of him does nothing to make her feel welcome. That was ignoring the exhaustion, and anxiety scents leaking from his very likely unwashed body. Laura smiles in a friendly way, the same way she had when she was getting his son to calm down. "I imagine you wanted to meet with me." she says, and the Sheriff narrows his eyes suspiciously, "why would you say that?" Laura indicates the crowd of deputies trying very hard not to be noticed eavesdropping. "I would prefer if we could talk in private if that's all right?" The Sheriff looks about with an expression that would shame any of Derek's scowls, she couldn't help but be a bit endeared to him. "Right this way Ms. Hale, as for the rest of you I want the reports on the Martin incident and that hiker, and I want them yesterday!" The deputies immediately scatter, Laura chuckles, "thank you for your time Sheriff and please call me Laura."  
\-----

 

John is not having a good day. Between not enough sleep for too many nights in a row, the private investigator, the dead hiker, and now this. Not only is Laura asking about the animal attacks, something about reclaiming the old property, and safety, and reasons. The thing that concerns him more is Stiles being caught out there by her brother, when he should have been in his first period class. "Cora will be starting at Beacon Hills high school on Monday, I was hoping Stiles would be able to help her get caught up since they apparently already know each other." She makes a face at "apparently" that John finds himself sympathizing with, Laura has clearly had to take up the role of her late mother for her siblings. "I don't see why not, I'm glad Stiles volunteered, but I do think some supervision there will be in order." Laura smiles broadly, "I couldn't agree more, I'll be sending Derek to pick up the work. I don't think Cora should be rewarded for deliberately disobeying me no matter her reasons."

John smiles more genuinely, "as much as I wish this was just a rundown on wildlife and an update on my now grounded son, I suspect however, that I'm not that lucky." Laura seems a bit sad at that, "I suppose that depends on your definition of 'lucky'. No that wasn't all. I understand that my investigator opened some old wounds?" John is going to have a long talk with Stiles about what was appropriate conversation topics with strangers. Though considering the PTA meeting regarding his Geography paper about Cambodian torture methods, which had only loosely been associated with Geography, he suspects it's a moot point. "That may be, Ms. Hale" Laura makes a face, "Laura" the Sheriff corrects himself. "I don't appreciate having a closed case thrown into the spotlight like this. If you have new evidence I would like it coming here first." Laura nods but there's something in her eyes, something angry that puts John on edge. "I understand that I'm treading on some toes by doing this, that it was ruled an accident, and that this probably violates all the asinine rules of conduct in the book. I understand all of that, but this tore apart my family. There's no solid evidence, but I have plenty of reasons to believe that 'accident' was, at best, an oversight. That fire destroyed our house, scattered us, and exiled us from the one place we ever called home. I want to rebuild, I want us to have a place again, and I don't want to look over my shoulder afraid of what might happen the minute my back is turned. I perhaps should have come to you first but I am here now. I was told by many people, yes, one of them being your son, that if anyone would be willing to help us it was you." John is taken aback but he feels that for the first time, he's seeing the true face and motives of the woman who came in here. This was going to be something he'll have to be careful with. "Alright, I make no promises other than to see what I can do." She looks tired but relieved, "that's all I ask."  
\-----

 

Stiles sneaks into school during lunch swiftly devouring his cheap breakfast sandwich before hitting up Scott. “Yo, Scotty buddy, so I'm probably gonna be grounded for a week, so mind if I walk you to work before I'm restricted to talking to you in class?” Scott looks at him, “uh sure, are you saying that you didn't have a back up for the truancy phone call?” Stiles has the decency to look offended, “yes dude of course I did, but I am reasonably certain that the not dead, totally alive, back in town Hale family is going to tell my dad that they caught me sneaking around their burned out mansion.” Scott sighs beleaguered, “Stiles! You should have waited until mom had morning shift and I could have kept watch.” Stiles grinned, “dude all that would have done is get you in trouble, those guys are good at stealth. Also that chick whose been hanging out with Jackson and the minions? Cora Hale! And apparently I'm picking up her homework as a desperate I'm sorry to her older sister who is genuinely scary.” Scott blinks, “wait she's starting here?” Stiles rolls his eyes, “yes Scott she's starting here, try to keep up.” Scott frowns, “We need to got to math class, then you spill everything when we are on our way to the clinic.” Stiles groans loudly; this is not a conversation he wants to have.

Stiles has been twitching his way through economics class trying desperately to avoid Lydia's attention. A week ago he would have been eager, Lydia paying attention to him was his holy grail. Lydia scrutinizing him, especially for the Hale's secret, was a monkey's paw of his greatest wish worthy of the special hell. “I knew I shouldn't have talked during Scott Pilgrim.” Finstock being ever the horror of an economics teacher he is picked up on the right things at the worst possible time. “Stilinski, Martin, I want you to use the principles we learned today to solve the problems on page 89!” Stiles dejected, makes his way to the board as Lydia saunters up. “So did you bring the journal Stiles?” She asks under her breath. “No, I got a little side tracked this morning, I can bring it tomorrow.” Lydia frowns, “no need, you can simply drop me off at home, it's between your place and here.” Stiles is a mixture of thrilled and terrified, again Lydia would be in his house, to learn Hale family secrets. Secrets Derek would probably kill him over. “Uh, no I'm taking Scott to work.” Lydia frowns, “Bring me with, I can keep myself occupied while you play chauffeur to Scott.” Lydia on a mission is truly a force to be reckoned with. “What about Jackson?” Stiles is grasping at straws but if ever there was a time for Jackson to be useful this is it. “I'll handle Jackson,” then she says with a sharp smile that makes Stiles incredibly uncomfortable, “I know how to handle Jackson.” Lydia underlines her answer, she's finished the entire principle while Stiles has only completed the first line distracted as he is. Lyda struts back to her desk, leaving Stiles to finish his problem, and try very hard to keep his brain from contemplating Lydia and Jackson's relationship.  
\-----

Practice that afternoon has been especially intense. Stiles as distracted as he is has started catching as much flack as Greenberg. Sulking he walks to his jeep followed by Scott and Lydia, Jackson dogging her heels the entire way. “You can't be serious!” Jackson's yelling, “I don't care if he has the library of congress at his place, I'm not letting you go with him!” Stiles sighs, this is not what he would call handling Jackson. _Oh god_ , he thinks, _please brain stop thinking about Lydia 'handling' Jackson._

Lydia stares Jackson down, normally Jackson's insecurities are easy enough to ignore but this is important. "Jackson, I need to do this research, which means I need the book, which Stiles has. You can either trust me. Or I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you should trust me and you will need to apologize. Believe me, it will be an expensive, name brand, hand crafted apology that you will be helping me pick out." She then kisses Jackson good bye, on the mouth for a full minute. With that Lydia marches over to Stiles' jeep, leaving Jackson, mouth hanging open, and Stiles failing to stop the inevitable “handling Jackson” train of thought. She gets into the front passenger seat and gives Stiles and Scott an expectant look. Scott looks at Stiles with the most surprised 'what the hell' face he can muster which is quite a face considering how expressive Scott can be. Stiles gives an exasperated shrug, before getting into the Jeep. Scott follows clearly unhappy to be consigned to the back seats.  
\-----

 

“So,” Scott begins awkwardly, “Lydia isn't ignoring us, she is infact in the car with us. Why is she in the car with us Stiles?” Lydia simply continues texting whomever she's talking to, probably Allison, she's taken a real liking to Allison. “Change of plans after your place you're delivering me to someone else's house, feel free to drive up to the door she wont care about your jeep.” Definitely texting Allison, Stiles sighs better get this out of the way now. “Well I suppose first things first, there are werewolves living in Beacon Hills, and if I tell you who they are they will probably kill me. Or at least two of them will, the third will probably just make some ridiculous puns about my cause of death for added humiliation.” Scott looks confused and slightly worried, trying to surreptitiously dial his phone.

Stiles holds out his hand mumbling a force charm and hopes it works. The phone flies out of Scott's hand and into Stiles'. Scott gives a yelp, then his mouth remains open, Lydia is watching him like a hawk. Stiles gets a migraine and needs to pull over and down an energy drink and granola bar. “Sorry” he says handing Scott's phone back to him “that was the first time trying the dramatic stuff, it's pretty draining.” Scott pales, Lydia looks at him. “Were these werewolves the ones that attacked me?” Scott pales even further and develops a look of horror Stiles is worried he'll pass out before reaching Deaton's. “No Lydia, you were probably right and those weren't werewolves.” Lydia looks satisfied with this and returned to texting. “You were attacked!?” Scott is very, very upset, Stiles is now even more concerned, his job isn't to make Scott upset, he's supposed to prevent Scott from being upset.

“Yes, which I would have told you this morning but, you were all happy going on about Allison for an hour.” Lydia looks up from her phone briefly, “she says the sexy doctor role looks good on you.” Scott's complexion very quickly does a one-eighty to bright red. _Yep_ Stiles thinks _I am definitely delivering an unconscious Scott to Deaton_. Stiles looks at Scott in the rearview mirror “Scott buddy breathe, me talking to Deaton's gonna go way less smoothly if you faint on me.” Scott is now both offended and embarrassed, “I wouldn't faint.” Lydia turns around, “don't pout Scott it makes you look like a lost puppy.” Stiles sighs, and she turns to him, “So if those weren't werewolves what were they?” Stiles frowns deeply, he's been hoping the two would be distracted for longer. Finishing his snack he pulls out of his parking spot. “I don't know Lydia, but part of the reason for this little detour is to ask the local Druid Emissary if he knows anything.” Scott looks confused “you said you had to ask Dr. Deaton something?” Stiles groans, hoping Scott won't mention the Hales if he figures it out which he might, he's perceptive at the worst times. The little hamster in Scott's head completes it's wheel rotation, “Deaton!?” Scott yells. Stiles grumbles, “yes Scott; Deaton, and if I figure something else out I'll tell you.” Lydia, who's been observing speaks up, “and me?” Stiles briefly spares her a glance, “do you want to explain to Jackson why we're suddenly hanging out?” Lydia narrows her eyes in annoyance but doesn't argue, yet, she'll figure out a way to ambush Stiles later.


	4. Scott, Jackson, and the Awful Awkward no Good Car Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Stiles is very, very, grounded; also a party happens and awkward car rides lead to peace and love; or at least less bloodshed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so my editor's life went all 'splodey so I am without an editor for the foreseeable future. That said now that I am no longer trying to juggle so many things I can start updating semi-regularly woo!

 

Stiles walks into Deaton's office with Scott, who immediately goes to get started on his cleaning duties in the back. Stiles looks at Deaton “so, druids!”

 

Deaton blinks surprised confused and more than a little suspicious. “What about druids Stiles?” Stiles, “I found a journal, it had some neat stuff, I can do magic, though not super effectively. I mean wow you have a tight ship here. Warding on the premises, mountain ash line between the front and back. Where do you get the energy to sustain it?” Deaton crosses his arms, “a journal?” Stiles purses his lips, “hmm, you get to be cagey secretive Mr. Obi-wan and I have to spill? I dun think so.” Deaton sighs but isn't backing down, “so you know a little bit about something, it proves nothing Stiles.” Stiles shrugs, “Scott didn't believe me either, then I pulled his phone out of his hands with telekinesis, I guess? Book called it a force charm, which by the way took a lot out of me, like I still have a headache and probably shouldn't be driving but I have stuff to take care of so forgive me if I'm crabby.” 

 

Deaton looks at him, clearly Stiles was going to keep going. If he doesn't have a teacher there's a chance he would take a very wrong turn. That was not something Deaton was keen on while he still had use for the boy. “This weekend come by the shop around four, Scott gets done at three that day. We can at least find out what you know and where your skills lie.” Stiles beams “okay, I'll just tell my dad I took one of Scott's shifts.” Before Deaton could make a very hypocritical lecture regarding lying and half truths Stiles is out the door. Deaton sighs, and turns to see Scott watching from the back while prepping the exam table. The board just got more chaotic, and Deaton's not sure how he feels about it.

 

Stiles gets in the Jeep, Lydia looks up from her phone, as he slams his head on the wheel in frustration. “Lydia, I'll give you photocopies of the parts of the journal that have the practical stuff. Charms, defense, recognize danger, and the like. I can't in good conscience lend you the actual journal.”

 

Lydia narrows her eyes dangerously, “Lydia! I'm serious, this is serious, you know that if I thought there was any chance of you talking to me on a regular basis, I would do whatever it took. I can't do this, okay, it's not about my life, it's about Scott, my dad, and hell, yes, yours.” Lydia doesn't move her expression does not change. “Do you know who they are?” Stiles, chews his lip, Lydia couldn't hear him lying that's a plus. “I have an idea.” Lydia seemed satisfied with this response, “alright, I'll agree, photocopies of the relevant pages. You however will talk to whomever you need to in the mean time to get me the rest of it.” 

 

Stiles grips the wheel harder, “why do you care so much? Aren't you set to get the Nobel Prize in math in like the next decade or something?” Lydia stares forward, “Field Medal.” Stiles turns confused, “the Field Medal, is math Stiles, and that's not the point. The point is I was attacked in my own home, the point is there is a puzzle that has endangered my life, and people, one of which is you, stand between me and solving that puzzle.” Stiles gapes, his mouth hanging open, her voice hadn't changed her facial expression remains still, but her conviction is almost a physical sensation. “I'll see what I can do, but I get the feeling we're both pretty much in the dark here.” Stiles pulls out of the parking lot and prepares to give Lydia the cliff notes.

 

\---

 

After picking up the journal and making the copies, Stiles drops Lydia at surprise, surprise, Allison's. After that Stiles goes home, hoping to dodge his dad, if he was lucky he could delay this talk. Stiles is so very seldom lucky. 

 

“Stiles could you come in here?” Stiles sighs and turns to the kitchen where his father stands frowning deeply at the Hale fire evidence pile. “Laura Hale cam into my office today.” Stiles, attempts to look surprised, “the Hales are-” John gives his son a look. “She told me about you being at their old house, when you should have been in class.” Stiles has the decency to look away. “Ah, and did she tell you I'm already indentured to make it up to them?”

 

John sighs, “yes, and the only reason I'm not grounding you for a week is because of that. I know you wont be skipping class as long as you need to help Cora. You are however grounded from the party on Friday and this weekend. You make photocopies of your notes, and Cora's brother Derek will be picking them up on Saturday. Melissa was kind enough to agree to pick you up she's going to be dropping Scott off after the game and then bringing you here since I have to work. No I don't trust you to come straight home in the jeep. Thank her profusely for the ride.” Stiles frowns, it wasn't the worst, it could be a great deal worse. He could try to get Derek to send a message to Laura, which he would hate. Stiles however is still sore about that whole banging his head on a wall thing; literally, Stiles is pretty sure he'll have a welt all weekend. “Uh dad, I agreed to cover one of Scott's shifts this weekend so he and Allison could go out.” John sighs but nodded, “I'll be calling Alan to confirm that you know?” Stiles nods, and then goes bounding up the steps towards his room with all the subtlety of an elephant.

 

\---

 

Laura opens the large iron doors to the loft she'd rented downtown. “Once we know it's safe to come back here for good, I intend to have the house rebuilt. Until then we're staying here, where there is electricity and running water.”Cora runs toward the stairs, I call dibs on the sun room, Derek you can have the couch!” With that she's off, Derek looks at her, “why haven't we looked at Tabitha's journal yet?” Laura didn't turn around instead shouting up the stairs, “There are two bedrooms Cora, which means Derek gets the second since you called the sun room!” She turns to her younger brother, “because Derek, the ruins of our home is not a place where we can focus solely on the journal. I want you to take Cora shopping for back to school supplies, like you _should_ have done two days ago. Then we'll go through the artifacts that Nana left us, and I'll study the journal. You can read it when I'm done, there are just a couple things I would like to confirm.” Derek sighs, “fine, should I arrange to have our effects transported up here?” Laura thinks about this for a moment, “yes I suppose so, Cora will likely refuse to leave before the year is out so it would be a good idea.” Derek nods and swiftly retreats to his new room to brood in peace.

 

\---

 

Friday comes at a record pace, Scott and Stiles manage to slip in an early practice before school. Though they do have to compete with Jackson and Danny for field space. At first everything goes along all right then Jackson starts antagonizing Scott and Stiles, which Scott apparently takes as a challenge. “Okay, seriously, since when did Scott buy into Jackson's posturing?” Stiles wonders aloud, Danny shakes his head. 

 

After a while Danny and Stiles end up practicing together since Scott and Jackson have long since gotten wrapped up in their own game oblivious to their friends. Stiles finds himself thinking about Derek, the man was a certifiable douche-waffle but he was weirdly compelling. Stiles was perfectly able to see an attractive guy and say as much. He was no Jackson ruled by his insecurities, but what do other guys think is attractive? Why is he obsessing? “Hey Danny do you think I'm attractive?” Danny just shakes his head like he doesn't register the question and launches the next play. The ball flies towards Jackson, only to have Scott intercept it. “You know we're never getting that ball back now right?” Stiles says as the two go charging after each other playing an elaborate and unfriendly game of keep away.

 

Danny frowned, “Jackson first bell is about to ring!” Stiles chimed in “yeah Scott can you be done marking your territory before my dad decides to extend my lock down? Also I really don't want a Melissa lecture while she's driving me home tonight.” Scott turns around, smiling euphorically, _huh, maybe it wasn't a pissing match maybe he was just really into it today._ Stiles considers this, also he questions what that implies socially. “Sucks to be you then, my mom has like a three page lecture printed out.” Jackson sneers, “What happened to the crap-bucket Stiles? Daddy take it away cause you missed curfew?” Danny gave Jackson a shove towards the school, “not now Jackson, keep your head on the match, not psyching out Stilinski.”

 

\---

 

The scrimmage goes by in a freaky way that has started to become depressingly normal. Stiles is benched but that's old school normal. Stiles is benched by himself, that is part of the new crap normal. Well not all by himself there is another kid next to him, he's moping as hard as Stiles. Scott is out on the field, Danny and Finstock both have to yell at him and Jackson to compete with the other team, not each other. That only seemed to encourage Scott and Jackson to use competing with the other team to compete with each other.

 

Which given the three-to-one lead that the Beacon Hills Cyclones have over the opposition is probably not going to be something coach will complain about. Until after the game when it starts fucking up the practice dynamic. Stiles looks over at the poor sap who'd replaced Scott on the bench today. Kid had sandy dark blond hair, sad sunken eyes, and visible cheek bones that spoke to unhealthy eating habits. He looked scared, not just disappointed, scared. “I'm sure you'll be back on the field in no time.” Stiles said with a smile, “Scott can't keep this up forever.” Sure throw Scott under the bus for someone he didn't know but in the end, it hopefully wouldn't matter.

 

\---

 

The party is in full swing and Scott had leaps from the car barely before it has time to stop. He's dashing towards the brown haired girl that has consumed his life recently. Allison Argent, Stiles is at once very happy for Scott and so very very envious. Scott gets a girlfriend who is hot and popular and clearly as into him as he is to her if the shy yet genuine smile she's giving him was any indication. Stiles? Stiles gets grounded, and werewolves, and hell hounds and freaky druid veterinarians. _Boo_ Stiles thought, _envy is an ugly feeling, especially for Scott's happiness_.

 

Scott goes charging up to Allison nearly tripping over his own feet as he skids to a stop. Allison laughs genuinely, he's such a doofus off the field, she can't help but feel flattered. “So, does lacrosse make you graceful? Or do I just fluster you into clumsiness?” Scott has his goofy smitten puppy look. “Shall we go in?” Scott asks offering her his arm, like he hadn't almost broken his noes trying to get to her. “How artfully he dodges the question. Alright Don Juan, show me the night-life of Beacon Hills.”

 

Melissa watches her son enter the party with his very obvious new girlfriend the one she'd been hearing about sporadically even though he was clearly being a teenager about it. “I need to give him the safe sex talk again.” Stiles sits up like his spine had been replaced by a steel rod. “Not while I'm present please!” Melissa smiles, “thank you for reminding me you were still in the car Stiles. I have a whole 'stay in school' lecture planned.” Stiles sinks into his seat, “Scott may have mentioned something about that.” Melissa pulls away from the party, preparing for the drive towards Stiles' house.

 

Scott and Allison have strolled through the party to cheers, and members of the lacrosse team congratulating each other. Jackson is in the middle of it all soaking up the praise, until Scott walks in. He waits for Allison to leave for just long enough then he pounces like an opportunistic snake. “All right McCall where are you getting your juice?” Scott looks like a confused child, “my mom does all our grocery shopping.” Jackson is about to hit him, he's certain he's being made fun of. Until, “I hope you boys are getting along. I'm so glad you could make it Allison, and Scott that was impressive today.” Lydia had evidently ambushed Allison at the punch bowl and now was reigning Jackson in. Scott is glad she's there until she says the next sentence. “Let's make this a double tonight!” Scott curses his life, Jackson looks like he wants to strangle him but says nothing.

 

\---

 

Isaac is in the cemetery working late, he's just doing some basic maintenance, anything to get him out of the house. Since Camden died his dad was worse, not that the former Coach Lahey was ever a good parent. Isaac had spent more time in the freezer in the last two years than he could remember in the last ten. It makes him wretch a little bit, bile rising into his throat. That's when Isaac hears it it, a sound like the baying of a hound. He turns in time to see a large German Shepard looking dog stalk out of the underbrush. It's all black with almost glowing red eyes and walks like it owns the entire area. It was strange though Isaac's curious why a stray would walk around completely unafraid. Maybe this was someone's pet and it got out. “Hey buddy” Isaac coos in as soothing a voice he could offering the beast some of the food he'd smuggled out of the house. The beast seems as perplexed by Isaac's behavior as Isaac is by its. Eventually it takes the food however and tentatively allows Isaac to pet it.

 

\---

 

Stiles has finally managed to escape the third reiteration of Kool Kat Saves the Kids Melissa edition and flee to his room to begin transcribing school notes. Something blessedly mundane for the werewolves in his life. Well he guesses there were things Scott didn't have.

 

\---

 

Allison and Scott are enjoying themselves, it's great, she was a little worried based on the tension that clearly existed between Scott and Jackson. She wasn't about to ask, Lydia is playing her bubble headed act that Allison has grown accustomed to. She's leaning on Scott listening to Lydia talk about the latest in a list of petty complaints. It's both soothing and aggravating, this was someone with zero context. Allison decides right then and there that she'd try her best to keep these people from gaining the kind of context she had. She'd been happy to think of that until someone runs in yelling about wild dogs in the woods. Lydia tenses, Allison's father had been monitoring the police scanners that night so Allison could guess why Lydia's on edge. “Hey Scott, I'm not feeling so well, I think I need some air, then I think I'm gonna call my dad, I've got to train early tomorrow.” Scott looks like she'd just snapped him out of a daydream. “Uh, oh, okay Allison,” he's clearly disappointed. She kisses him lightly on the cheek, “how about you come by tomorrow after gymnastics and we continue our date?” Scott turns bright red and gets this utterly pleased look on his face, like she'd just made his year. It's nice to meet someone so happy to just be near her. She stands up and prepares to call in the troops. Normal is not on the agenda tonight, and Allison is going to make some little monster very, very sad and injured for messing with her friends and her evening.

 

\---

 

Scott waits for Allison's dad to show as soon as he does Scott regrets waiting a little. Chris Argent it turns out is an imposing man, tall, with grizzled facial hair and a series of expressions that are all scary and said “I mean business and am versed in many types of fire arms.” Allison bounds up to him and hugs him, “thanks for coming so quickly dad.” She leans up slightly to kiss his cheek and he smiles indulgently before turning to face Scott, Jackson and Lydia the smile much less warm. Allison turns “dad, you've met Lydia,” the smile wavers a bit in the way Scott recognizes as “yes I have in fact met Lydia.” Allison turns to he and Jackson at that, “that's Jackson, Lydia's boyfriend and captain of the Cyclones.” Jackson shakes Chris' hand “I saw you play out there today, you and number eleven have some good moves from what I could tell. I don't know anything about lacrosse though so I could be wrong.” Allison smiles, “funny you should mention that because this is Scott, number eleven on the team.” Chris moves his hand to Scott who accepts it slightly nervous, “I'm guessing the three-to-one lead means that I wasn't to far off?” Scott releases his hand, “no sir, we did really well out there tonight, good thing or this party would be a lot more depressing.”

 

As soon as the introductions were made, Chris and Allison were out of ear-shot. “Did the police scanner pick up anything on the way here?” She asks her dad. Chris frowns, he's not happy about Allison's involvement. “Yes, one woman was attacked while jogging the wounds are septic and she's in shock, it was about half a block away from here, the Sheriff's department is combing the woods now. I've assembled a few of my contacts that are still in town. We're going out tonight, we have official permission to help.” Allison nods, and takes one of her ring daggers out of the hidden sheath in her jacket sleeve, “did you bring my outdoor clothes, and bow?” Chris looks at her, she was becoming so capable, and part of that scares him, he doesn't want to lose her like he did the rest. “Yes, are you sure you want to do this? These may be dogs, they may also be feral omegas.” Allison pulls her hair up, “they attacked Lydia, she's pulled herself together, to anyone else she looks collected, but this shook her dad. I can't even pretend to have a normal life while these things are out there. So yes I'm going.”

 

Scott looks at Lydia and Jackson, shuffling awkwardly, “I'm gonna head out too I guess, my place isn't too far so I can walk.” Jackson looks at him and says “your funeral,” but his expression said “good riddance.” Lydia promptly elbows him, “don't be silly Scott, Jackson and I can take you home.” Jackson seethes, and glares at her “no, he is not going in the Porsche.” Lydia rolls her eyes, “Jackson do you know how dangerous these are? I overheard the Sheriff say they already killed a hiker.” Jackson looks at her, Lydia has her arms crossed and is staring him down, or so it seems. To anyone who knows her she's clearly rattled, and pretend what she may, Jackson knows her. Jackson can be perceptive, when he needs to. “McCall! We're heading out in five, not ready, get left behind.”

 

\---

 

Lydia is in the back seat of the Porsche she has a handkerchief spread out with an assortment of cosmetics arranged like a painter's pallet. She's removed portions of her make-up and updated with more complimentary tones. It's been a long awkward car ride in absolute silence with Jackson practically shooting hate powered lasers out of his eyes at Scott. Having enough he turns his scowl full force on Scott. “What do you think you're staring at McCall.” Scott oblivious to the dangerous edge in Jackson's voice turns to him with a look of wonder. “How does she do that in a moving car? those brushes are tiny.” Jackson's face turns into a mixture of amusement and confusion, he briefly spares a glance at Lydia who is now tidying up her cosmetics. Jackson sighs, “practice, lots, and lots, and lots of practice”. Lydia looks up, “oh Jackson, it's not like my makeup is the only thing I've done in this car.” 

 

Jackson looks smug, Scott looks extremely uncomfortable. Jackson get's an evil shine to his eyes. “How about I give some pointers on what you and Allison should do in a car next chance you get.” Scott turns to Jackson like he'd just kicked a kitten, “please don't, I believe you, Stiles would never forgive me if I heard this.” Jackson just grins “well in that case, let's go back to last Thursday.” Lydia kicks the back of Jackson's seat, “that was a treat for your birthday and you know it! Or maybe Scott should hear about last May.” Jackson and Scott both pale visibly and simultaneously shout, “No, Scott should not hear about last May.” They look at each other and then straight ahead silently bonding on this car ride that will never be mentioned again.

 

 

Scott walks into his house, his head is pounding, surely someone already called the Sheriff's department. A quick jog wouldn't hurt, it would help him try to consider Jackson's weird one-eighty. The latest in the long list of “this week has been weird,” Scott needs processing time.

 

\---

 

Jackson watches Scott leave the car and enter his house, then he moves a hand over to Lydia's. Lydia had since moved to the front seat. “I'm sorry I wasn't there,” she'd been acting weird all week, Jackson broke down and asked her parents why. “I wish you'd talk to me,” he grips the wheel with his other hand and continues to just stare. “Lydia, you've been acting weird, hanging out with Stilinski, getting me to give McCall a ride home. What the fuck is going on?” Lydia unbuckles herself and kisses Jackson, “I don't know okay, I've been trying to figure it out.” Jackson knows he's not going to get a better answer, he starts the car and drives towards her house.

 

\---

 

Allison is stalking through the preserve, wispy party sweater and skirt forgotten in the back seat of her dad's car. Now she wears a dark leather jacket fashionable tights hidden beneath flexible midnight blue jeans tucked into her hiking boots. Her hair which had been parted and layered for effect is now in a tight bun on top of her head, held in place by a pin that was an impromptu knife if need be. Her compound bow at her side, wolfsbane coated arrows in an easy to reach quiver on her back. Her left sleeve is decorated with throwing knives clipped in place with fast release straps. Her right has a bulky forearm of tight weave light-weight mesh, designed to stop most blades. She walks with purpose night-vision goggles in place, her father and his group would be using lights and numbers to flush the prey out. She moved faster on her own and is better in the advance, her watch has a GPS tracker so the hunting party would know where she was should she need help, and to prevent accidental friendly fire.

 

Stiles is hunting through the woods, sure his dad told him to stay home and if he's caught he'll be grounded, so grounded. Like _One Hundred Years of Solitude_ grounded. That said he heard the police call, he knew they're out after whatever these things are. They are so unprepared and Stiles is way to good a son to let his dad go charging into trouble. Once the growling starts however Stiles realizes he may be in more trouble than them.

 

Allison finds one of the beasts, it's a large one she tracks it. It's clearly stalking something or someone and she is stalking it. That's when she sees him, Stiles, backing up slowly before a second beast. Damn she has to choose between taking this one out or the one about to leap at Stiles' throat. She knocks an arrow, Stiles throws down dust, the beast leaps. Three things happen first the beast hits a barrier, and Allison's arrow as a consequence pierces it's ear instead of it's head. Lastly the one she was stalking turns on her. This officially got complicated, Allison is not happy. She chucks a smoke grenade and runs toward Stiles.

 

Stiles is stunned an arrow hits the ground a few feet away from him, and the leaping hound yelps in pain as it's ear gets a brand new hole. The hound jumps backwards and disappears in a cloud of inky shadow. Next smoke starts erupting from the forest followed by a second hound. Last a crazy teenage girl in full military survival gear comes barreling out of the forest, arrow knocked ready to fire. She lets her arrow loose narrowly missing the second hound as it too, fades into a cloud of shadow. Running over the mountain ash barrier she stands next to Stiles, ditching the bow and pulling two Chinese ring daggers from her side twirling them in her hands. Stiles recognizes nervous energy when he sees it but this woman seems to be channeling it into pure taut readiness. The burly hound that emerged from the smoke reappears and charges the barrier. She swipes at it as soon as it hits. It yelps in pain and did it's strange disappearing act, reappearing about five feet back. It growls low stalking the barrier, it charges again but feints the woman over extends and it strikes.

 

_Shit_ Allison thinks, _they aren't werewolves but they are smart_ she curses as it bites the reinforced right sleeve. It's not enough to pierce, but the pressure still hurts like a bitch, and if it pulls there's a chance it would dislocate her arm. That is until a bola flies out of the woods striking the beast in it's legs and tangling it. It lets loose a surprised sound and Allison is able to withdraw her arm. Then a figure charges out of the woods a silver strip of metal in his hand, he tackles the beast and in one fluid motion hooks the collar around it's neck. The device on the back clicks and the beast goes limp. Allison holds her knives at the ready whoever this is he clearly isn't human, the ram horns were not part of the helmet that obscures his face. He wears hunting leathers the style Allison recognizes from her family archives, with a fur cape adorning his shoulders. He salutes her. She knows the salute; hunters had used it to recognize each other. It fell out of favor in the last two centuries but some still used it. Unsure she returns with the proper gesture. The being before her gives a loud bellowing laugh. Then he turns his cape billowing and kicking up leaves and twigs from the forest floor, there's a scent of evergreen and mist, with both hunter and hound vanish.

 

Allison looks down at Stiles, and removes her goggles, “alright Stiles you can either tell me what you're doing out here, and how you know witchcraft. Or we can wait for your father the Sheriff and have a nice long chat about you being out here.” Stiles looks honestly terrified, Allison slightly regrets the ice in her tone but if he knew what was going on, or worse was responsible she would need to hold him accountable. “I don't know nearly as much as everyone thinks I do, okay! I can tell you what I do know, back at my house, please. I really don't want my father catching us out here. Especially since your Scott's girlfriend and he'll find out and he'll make the saddest face, and it will be terrible for everyone.” Allison can't help but smile, either Stiles was an incredible actor or way too scared to have intentionally unleashed these monsters. “Okay Stiles, tell you what, if you know enough, I'll even tell you a bit of what I know, sound fair?” Stiles nods emphatically, “someone not being ridiculously cagey and obtuse would be very helpful Allison. Uh right house this way.” He says scrambling to his feet in a storm of awkward flailing limbs.

 

\---

 

Allison looks around the Stilinski residence, most of the Hale fire evidence had been returned to the station. There is however small stacks of pertinent info that John is still combing through. There are also statements from people attacked by the, whatever they were. Allison examines the pile, and raises an eyebrow, “why is the Sheriff examining evidence from 2005?” Stiles simply shrugs, “it was ruled an accident and dad suspects foul play. The family hires a private investigator he feels insecure, evidence room explodes across the house.” Allison chuckles, “I think my dad mentioned something about the family being in town for a while sometime in the early 2000s. I can ask him if there were any ripples in the local fauna, or hunter networks.” She turns back to Stiles, “speaking of the dark underbelly of Beacon Hills, what do you know about it? Does the Sheriff?” She'd called her dad saying she was “escorting a civilian home post attack” so she had about an hour or so to grill Stiles to her heart's content. “No, as far as I know my dad has no clue about werewolves, or hell hounds, or witches or whatever else the world might have lurking in our closets. As for me, I don't know as much as I'd like, I can cast a basic charm, though the more dramatic stuff kicks my teeth in. I also know werewolves are a thing, and as of early this week, whatever those dogs are.” Allison nods, “are there werewolves in Beacon Hills now? Because they should be kept under watch if there are.”

 

This conversation was swiftly heading into interrogation by potential serial killer scary. Stiles shrugs like it's of no concern. “Uh not as far as I know, my source of info mentions them though. Well not even werewolves specifically but two and two make four, and full moon and wolfsbane make werewolves?” Allison nods again, not letting any of her emotions slip from the neutral expression she's wearing. “What about you? Those were some impressive shenanigans you were pulling back there.” Stiles asks, Allison stands up straight slight hint of pride entering her features. “I'm an Argent, Stiles, we have a long history of walking between those who would hunt us, and their prey.” 

 

Stiles practically chokes on his response, “you're a vigilante werewolf hunter!?” He blurts out, Allison's turn to shrug, “werewolves, demon dogs, pixies, if it poses a threat to human life we hunt it.” Stiles looks bewildered, “pixies are threatening? Have you had to off Tinkerbell?” Allison makes a sour face, “Stiles, trust me, pixies suck.” Stiles contemplates this, “what constitutes a threat? Also does Scott know?” Allison shakes her head, “we have a code, only if the creature in question has been proven to have harmed a human. No kids, and no humans, we leave human offenders to human authorities. As for Scott he knows only as much as you've told him.”

 

Stiles figured keeping Scott out of this was his best bet, “that would be a whole lot of nothing. Scott doesn't need to be involved in this, heck _I_ don't need to be involved in this, unfortunately I'm the one who tripped over it.” Stiles pauses obviously nervous, “so how are you on the subject of witchcraft?” Allison looks at him coldly, “have you killed anyone with it? Caused a drought, famine, maybe just some blights or cancer clusters?” Stiles looks positively horrified, “no! Can you even do that? The worst thing I've done is failed to use an Ignore-Me charm to startle Scott. Then use it successfully to avoid Jackson, and Mr. Harris, and Coach Finstock. I probably could have avoided that conversation with dad, or at least fudged my odds, dang, hind sight.” Allison's interrogation stare immediately disappears in a fit of laughter, “well I don't work for the school, and I can understand wanting to go through Harris' class ignored. You don't need to worry about us Stiles. If I may put your fears to rest, my dad and I moved here because there wasn't any activity so I doubt you'll see a werewolf anytime soon.”

 

Stiles sighs relieved and hopes Allison would figure it was because she'd allayed his fears. “Well then how about my questions for the Q&A?” Allison sits across from him “alright what do you want to know. There may be some things I can't answer either for family safety reasons, or because I don't know myself okay?” Stiles nods, “sure, so you have a code?” Allison recites it like this is the millionth time “' _Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent._ ' 'We hunt those who hunt us.' It's an old French motto from when we were a part of the royal court. King sanctioned werewolf slayers apparently.” Stiles looks thoughtful “That isn't super strict, no one ever misinterprets it? I mean you provided some serious ground rules before.”

 

Allison sighs, “like any ideology there are, hardliners, we try to be good about policing ourselves though. The collateral would do to much damage to what we're trying to protect.” Stiles seems to accept this answer well enough, “okay, you mentioned pixies, are there other monsters I should watch out for?” Allison looks serious again, “yes, lots, you should first and foremost try to contact us, we're trained to handle these things.” Stiles narrows his eyes a bit, “how is that legal? you have some serious arsenal going on.” Allison laughs again, “Stiles my dad supplies munitions to various groups legally. Including law enforcement. Honestly you haven't seen anything, the shock batons, ultra sonic emitters, and flash bolts are with my dad's party. Also my grandfather likes the broadsword but he's a bit... medieval.” The face she made indicated her conflicted feelings on this sword toting grandpa of hers. “Okay, last question then for now.” Allison raises a slightly annoyed eyebrow, “oh don't look at me like that! I'm still technically grounded, if my dad finds you here there's going to be a lot of awkwardness, so one question then continue later?”

 

“That was technically a question” Allison teases. “Oh my god you have been spending to much time with Scott! No, you said you came here because there wasn't a lot of activity right?” Allison makes a rueful face. “Yeah, I'm not officially trained, so my dad wanted to complete my hunter training here. Where I'm less likely to run into a serious threat. Also I didn't say there wasn't a lot of activity, before this week there was no activity. I'm concerned about what might be causing this.” Stiles nods, “well I can check my sources, you can examine yours and we can see if we find any corroborating incidents, sound good?” Allison smiles again, it was a good look on her Stiles could definitely see what had Scott's sanity so shot. “That's three 'last questions' but yes, I think that would probably be for the best.” Stiles nods eagerly and stands up offering his hand to Allison, “good to work with you Allison Argent, keep Scott safe please, I'm not omniscient and he gets in trouble if he's not watched.” Allison takes Stiles' hand shaking it, “Scott, trouble?” Stiles grins “so much trouble! Remind me to tell you about the class zoo trip in fourth grade. Please make sure to ask in front of Scott it'll so be worth it.”

 

\---

 

Laura calls the pack into the main room of the loft, they enter bounding into the place like a herd of elephants in Cora's case. In a brand new shirt and sweater combo she clearly manipulated Derek into letting her buy. Derek trudging in like a man on death row, he's been moping since he and Cora got caught. Well things get worse before they get better, fun, fun.

 

“I've been going through Tabitha's journals, and it looks like we have a lead, a real lead, not just that it was arson but that it was one of two factions. It seems there was a pack that ran through Beacon Hills a short time before the fire. They had a run in with a group of hunters, our mom didn't approve the fight but the skirmish happened anyway. Tabitha saw something coming but apparently the chaos after the battle left the water muddy. She left the journals because she was worried. The alpha of the defeated pack survived and would likely be looking for revenge. Or the hunters, who were particularly brutal, might try to finish the locals off. The alpha's name was Duecalion. The hunters were a family called 'Argent'.”

 

Cora's phone rings, earning her a look from Derek and Laura, “It's Stiles,” she says glancing at the ID, “Stiles we're a little busy right now.” Stiles rambles like that means nothing, which given what she's seen it may not. Stiles babbles like a brook when he's calm. This is nervous Stiles, “I know but this is important there's a group of werewolf hunters in town, and I thought you would want to know. Scott's girlfriend, the one Lydia and Jackson have been hanging out with? Her name is Allison Argent, and apparently her whole family hunts supernatural stuff. I even ended up getting the 'don't go killing people with magic spells or I may shoot you' talk.”

 


	5. The Alphas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the already complicated situation is made much worse. Stiles (and by extension all my readers) gets a crash course in magic. And Scott is ambushed in cliff hanger suspense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So work is thoroughly kicking my patootie so chapters might be slow going while they're testing the kiddies at my job. I should be able to work some on my gap time but that might be slow going. Anyway thank you for being patient and supporting this work, it means a lot to me that my readers have been so supportive!

Leo runs, dragging Tyler along with him the two of them run through the forest. He doesn't know if the Flask worked, but he's not going to stop to find out. They'll stop when they reach civilization, until then they run.

 

-

Two Days Ago:

 

Leo walked into Sal's, a diner in Grant's Pass, the place was small, a nice greasy spoon in the middle of nowhere southern Oregon. Leo was fine with this arrangement he and Brett came here looking to not be noticed. As turned Omegas they were considered the lowest of the low, so it was no surprise that most locals drove them out. Grant's Pass was close enough to a local pack not to have much in the way of other supernaturals but still far enough that they could hide in plain sight.

 

Grant's Pass had become something of a haven for Omegas passing through, the local packs ignored them as long as the population stayed low. So usually the locals would move the more nomadic types along giving them food and then ushering them off. Brett and Leo had been lucky to get here when they did about four years back.

 

“Hey Brett, see you back home when my shift is done.” Brett smiled and nodded, “Tyler's asking you to bring home a milkshake, I told him only if he gets an 85% or higher on his test.” Leo laughed and walked over to the booth where Tyler was working on his math homework. Tyler was around ten or twelve, they'd picked him up about a month ago, he was an Omega like them. He wouldn't say where he was from, if he was born or turned. The only thing he said for the first week was the “demon wolf got them.”

 

Leo smiled it was good to see the kid starting to come out of his shell, even on the full moon he'd just cowered, hyper vigilant. At seventeen Leo wasn't really sure he was equipped to handle the kid, Brett at a year older handled the responsibility better but still, it seemed unlikely to work in anyone's favor. Su-Liu was also getting overly suspicious and as the closest thing this town had to an alpha he really didn't want to piss her off, but he wouldn't abandon the kid he was too much like the brother he'd lost. He used to send money home, a P.O. Box, unmarked envelope, along with a letter letting Mark, and his parents know he was okay. Until the cops came looking for him at his last stop. Leo sighed, he could barely control his shifts during the full moon, there was no way he could go back. He cautiously rolled his grandmother's pendant in his hands it felt warm, it always felt warm to him.

 

Brett walked into the apartment to find Su-Liu sitting in his living room. The older Asian werewolf was accompanied by a slim black woman leaning on the far wall. Brett was cautious, he didn't want to upset Sue, but he also didn't like this, everything screamed threat. Sue gestured for him to take a seat on the couch opposite her. “Sue, to what do we owe the visit? I was certain we'd payed our dues for the month.” Brett said sitting down. Sue smiled and took a sip from the bottle of mineral water she'd taken from the fridge. “You have, for you and your, 'friend'” Sue was convinced he and Leo were sleeping together, they weren't. “However, not for the child you two have taken in recently. Nor was I informed of this child's presence.” Brett had been waiting for this, “we weren't sure if the kid was going to move on or not. I have and extra two hundred for him if that's what you're here for.” Sue frowned, “we can't take in too many, especially now, the locals are getting;” she paused looking thoughtful but still irritated, “agitated.” This was dangerous, not just for Sue being here but if she was worried about the locals that means a new element arrived, Brett would have to put out feelers. “You may keep the boy in exchange for Leo's pendant, I know it's a memento but my friend Marin has informed me that it's quite something. I'll give you twenty four hours to convince him to give it up. Do that and the boy may stay, otherwise, move him along.”

 

-

One Day ago:

 

Turned out twenty four hours wasn't on the menu, Brett's contacts had gone dark had that Marin person not left the note she did there's a decent chance that he, Leo, and Tyler would be as dead as Su-Liu. Turns out the pack up north was “agitated” because they were being slaughtered one by one. The note said “The Demon Wolf is coming, get out, use Leo's Flask if you must.” He'd asked Leo about it he just said it was a memento of his grandmother. Tyler hadn't seen the note, the Omega's started disappearing, crazy old Marian was the first, she'd been in Grant's longer than Sue. Then Alex at the car wash, all the nomads hightailed it within two days, the visit with Sue happened, and the next thing he knows Leo comes charging into Sal's saying that Sue's dead.

 

They took off from Sal's after that, they were packing when there was a knock at the door. Carla and her fiance' Doyle were at the door, asking if they'd heard about Sue. “Her throat was ripped out, I heard from one of the nomads that the pack up north in Wolf Creek was wiped out their alpha slaughtered. They're coming here next, we're booking it there's a motel outside town we plan on staying at, come with us.” With little choice they agreed and they ran.

 

-

Two Hours ago:

 

It all seemed to go smoothly until the next evening, they were looking over the inscription on the back of Leo's pendant, apparently it was in Latin. Carla had a rough understanding of it from her time in the clergy, before she'd met Doyle, she was human, he wasn't. “Roughly translated it's a quote about the wandering the east and west.” Leo looked at her, there was a Gerald Gould quote his grandmother loved, “beyond the east the sunrise, beyond the west the sea. Beyond the east and west the wander thirst that will not let me be.” Carla nodded, “that's about right, but what I can't figure out is why Sue would want it, or why someone called it a flask?” Leo looked at the small crystal sphere in it's center, the gemstone refracted light and looked like those Hubble photos of a nebula. “I dunno, but my grandma had said in her will that she hoped it would 'give me the world'. Any ideas?” Carla shook her head, “maybe if I were an Emissary. Apparently some werewolf packs have sorcerers working for them, frankly that makes me glad I'm with Doyle even more. The thought of werewolves with magic backing them is kind of frightening, given the arrogance we've seen in most packs.” Leo nodded.

 

There was a bang, Carla and Doyle ran, so had he, Tyler, and Brett. A man, an alpha, bald but built like a brick wall had burst into their room, he'd killed the night attendant, had Brett not gotten lucky with the lamp they would have been dead. Brett hadn't gotten out unscathed though, the man had seriously messed up his leg. They were hiding out in a closed down gas station, Leo was busy trying to tie a tourniquet to Brett's leg. “Come on man don't do this, we're almost out of town we got away from the alpha, I'm sure we can-” Brett cut him off. “That was Ennis, he killed his pack, and mine, he's not the alpha, he works with another, it's a pack of alphas they're all homicidal. You gotta run, you'll never get out of here dragging me.” Leo was crying, “no, no, come on bro, you can't do this to us. We can get out, we'll hitch somewhere else.” Brett grabbed his arm, “I'm done for” he held out a shock baton they'd gotten off a hunter they'd surprised awhile back. It was their last resort weapon, “I'll hold off Ennis as long as I can, get out, use your pendant, I'm sure that woman was an Emissary. You need to run, take Tyler and go, my life isn't worth all three of us!” Leo sobbed “I don't know how.” Brett pushed Tyler pulled yelling about the “demon wolf.”

 

He ran, he hated himself, but he ran, Brett saved him from the betas when he'd just been turned. He was abandoning the man who'd helped him take down a hunter that had been tracking them. The one who showed him how to survive, how to get fake Ids, how to find the jobs that wouldn't look at you too closely. He couldn't but what he saw stopped him in his tracks, Ennis, not just Ennis though there were two others. Ennis stayed by the entrance, then there was a bare footed dark skinned woman, but the third man. He had dark sunglasses, and a cane like a blind man, but the way he held his cane looked like a depiction of Moses with his staff. His aura was the worst, even from where he stood, Leo could feel it, ice cold fear gripped him like a vice. “Well, well, what have we here, two lost pups? Good thing we were on watch wouldn't you say Aiden?” Leo turned there were two more alphas, identical twins smiling viciously. “Right you are Ethan, let's see if we can help move you along.” Leo didn't think he just grabbed Tyler's hand ran forward, and slammed his other palm over the pendant “please grandmother, I don't need the world, just our lives.” 

 

The world blurred the last thing he remembered was the road behind the gas station and the rural countryside. Once it cleared and his head stopped spinning he noticed he was in a forest, and based on how his ears popped at a higher elevation. Tyler was behind him retching. Once he was done, Leo stood up and picked the boy up piggy back style. “I don't know where we are but we need to keep going, I don't smell the alphas anymore but I don't know how far we've gone.” Tyler nodded, and Leo did what he'd spent the last four years learning to do. He ran.

 

 

-

Allison is tumbling through the forest, she grabs a branch and swings herself up. Climbing several tiers higher before jumping to the next tree. Allison waits silent watching below her, Bennett walks, the newbie hunter had a lot to learn. She drops on him and has the practice knife to his throat before he can yell. “You need to work on your awareness, you just died.” Allison remarks, Bennett smiles “so did you daddy's girl.” Allison cries out in pain as a blunted crossbow bolt hits her lower back. Her dad exits the treeline, “good take down Allison but don't monologue you leave yourself open. Bennett, not only were you taken off guard but your taunting gave away my position, a werewolf could easily have dodged the bolt thanks to your heads up. We need to protect each other as much as the civilians, packs are the main thing we have in common with them.”

 

Allison groans rubbing her back, “yes dad,” she helps Bennett up and smiles at him. They both turn Bennett shoots a practice bolt at Chris who dodges but this gives Allison a chance to “fatally wound” him with the knife. Chris looks at them stunned, he'd have a nice bruise on his chest tomorrow. “We learn teamwork, and pairs are safer and more efficient than loners.” Chris smiles despite himself, “unfair but a good use of nonverbal communication, and surprise tactics, both of you. That's enough for today, Bennett you are starting your histories today, Allison we already covered the introduction so you have the afternoon off.” Allison and Bennett nod, “yes sir.” Bennett smiles and turns to Allison, “see you tomorrow morning, hope you're ready for payback.” Allison smiles and starts to remove her archery gloves. “Big talk, let's see if you can last more than five minutes this time.” Bennett just shakes his head smiling, “go harass your boyfriend, he puts up with it better than me.” Allison hits him with one of her gloves, as he runs after her dad laughing.

 

 

 

Scott is waiting for Allison leaning against his bike She'd called him about half an hour ago saying she was free. He biked, he wanted to bike as fast as possible but didn't want to be sweaty and gross. He smiles, she walks, practically sashays, out the door, and smiles at him, impeccable as ever. Scott waves, and leans a little further forward. His bike tilts, and falls and with a very undignified squawk, Scott goes with it. Allison looks worried, her concern breaks into a grin as Scott scrambles to his feet with and “I'm okay” and an embarrassed smile.

 

Allison walks over to him and kisses him, he's startled but he melts into the kiss. “I have errands I have to run if you don't mind walking with me for a bit.” She says finally breaking the kiss, “sure, do you have anywhere I could put my bike or should I just walk with it?” Allison gestures to the garage, “just keep it out of the way of my dad's car, he shouldn't have to go anywhere, but he'd be peeved if he pops a tire on it.” Scott nods and makes his way to the garage, he notices the rack of weapons on the far wall and makes an expression of horror. Delicately placing his bike as out of the way as possible, he decides he really, really, _really_ doesn't want Chris Argent mad at him.

 

As he makes his way out to Allison he smile's shyly, suddenly very nervous. “So your dad has a lot of guns.” He says lamely, Allison looks a little crestfallen, and Scott feels really bad. “He sells munitions, he supplies them to most locals, even law enforcement. Stiles' dad is probably one of his customers in some capacity.” Scott smiles “oh, that makes sense, sorry, I didn't mean, I mean, I didn't actually know anything about your dad's job. It's kind of cool, does he have to travel a lot then?” Allison smiles her look more tired, less carefree but certainly a better look than the one Scott had been getting. “Yeah, used to be we traveled with him but I think he wants to settle a bit.” Scott had heard Lydia mention that Allison's mom had died a few months back. He makes an effort to

steer the conversation elsewhere.

 

“So errands, what is it you have to pick up?” They start walking towards the more commercial district of Beacon Hills. “Just some groceries, also I figured we could get some lunch, and then my dad wants me to pick up a couple hunting items he ordered.” Scott nods, “um so your dad hunts?” She looked at him curious, “yeah, he taught me how to bow hunt over the summer, sort of a bonding thing.” Scott looks aghast, “you've been hunting?”

 

Allison hates this part, _he's such a puppy_ she thinks, she lets one thing slip. Now Scott's pulling out the biggest, brown, Bambi eyes she'd ever seen. He wouldn't survive ten seconds in the supernatural hell hole her life has become. Honestly, she's okay with that, having someone as blessedly normal, good, genuine, and utterly innocent as Scott is refreshing it makes her feel like she used to. Before her mom died. Except, crap, he wants an answer, wide eyes, stupid cute uneven jaw line, slight confused head tilt, he looks like a puppy, a lab puppy. Allison sighs contentedly and embraces the urge to flirt, like she'd only been distracted by his looks. Scott blushes honest to goodness beet red blushes, but he has this smitten smile that crinkles his eyes and makes you feel like you're the only person in the world.

_No stop, bad Allison, vague lie, vague lie now!_ She reminds herself angrily. She shrugs like she was dismissing it as nothing more than a simple daddy-daughter bonding trip. "Mostly small game, pest creatures" Pixies definitely qualified as both "small game" and "pest" so cool no real lie. "Anything bigger?" Scott asks like he's afraid she'll tell him she'd shot Bambi's mom. "A bear" she says bluntly and without really thinking. It had been a bear too, a camper had been mauled by something, and it looked like a feral omega. Allison was glad that it wasn't, and she realized that as innocuous as she thought the truth was, the way Scott's eyes were bugging out of his head it may not have been the best choice.

Allison flounders a bit, “we were in the area and the rangers got a call about it mauling a camper. Dad just kind of gets involved in that stuff and I was just along for the ride. I mean I was the one with better vantage though. So it's not like I was alone or that we were there specifically for the bear.” She's babbling now, god, she sounds like Stiles. Scott seems to recognize this cause he smiles mischievously. “Shut up, don't look at me in that tone of voice!” She's laughing now.

Scott's proud of himself, he's successfully pulled his girlfriend out of whatever memory had her since they left the house. People might see him as an idiot and it's true sometimes he doesn't think things through and gets himself in trouble. If that perception let's him keep the people he cares about happy, he can stand being the innocent dummy of the group.

  
  


Stiles is panicking and pacing, and trying to think of as many alliterations of his current state of being to calm himself. Cora is watching him pace, Derek is scowling, he wouldn't trust her to handle this meeting no. Had to come himself. Cora sighs and rolls her eyes, “so she made you uncomfortable I get that, but it sounds like she's fine with the whole magic thing. You know as long as you're not pulling a Blair Witch on us. Which honestly, I'd be very disappointed in you if you did.” Stiles stops abruptly, “of course you don't care she didn't out you, and before mister sourwolf punches me, no I didn't mention anything about your family.” Cora shrugs, “if her family had anything to do with anything,” she was going to hear about this later. “She'd have been ten, and it sounds like she's not super involved with the crazier members of her family.” 

Derek interrupts, “that just means she's clever, she could have been lying, she could be extremely indoctrinated, she could be spying on us right now!” Cora and Stiles both shoot him a look, “we'd hear, and smell them if they were out here Der.” Stiles follows Cora's observation with one of his own, “also Scott's with Allison right now so she's probably too distracted trying to keep his drool off her shirt. Seriously, she enters the room and bam! R.I.P. Scott's limited mental capabilities.” Cora looks at him “that was mean, like _me_ mean, maybe we should eat lunch together.” Stiles pouts, “it's not mean it's true and somehow I think that's already happening. Lydia and Allison are like besties, Scott's dating Allison, and I don't sit next to not Scott people, no offense.” Cora laughs, “none taken, Jackson's going to have an aneurysm though.” Stiles blanches “ah crap you're right, supernatural werewolf nonsense, hunters, and Jacksons! Why me, what did I do to deserve this.”

Derek growls, “we have to take care of the problem now, Allison and her family are a threat to us!” Cora looks like she's about to scream at him instead she sighs. “Der-bear,” Stiles snickers at the nick name, Derek glowers. “What would you suggest? Murder? And have the most powerful hunter clan in the pacific northwest on our asses in a week? Further, the Argents are distracted with our little hellhound problem, speaking of did you learn anything about that Stiles?” Stiles' face twists, “well they definitely teleport, they are repelled by mountain ash, and there's some crazy horned Tolkien fanboy chasing them. As for the Allison thing, I personally am a fan of ignoring the problem until it eventually goes away.”

Cora nods, “never heard of anything like this, have you Derek?” Derek's frown deepens, “no and I'd rather not involve Peter if at all possible he'll want to come up here himself. Deaton then?” Stiles shakes his head, “something tells me Deaton's not going to be helpful to my learning magic much less hellhounds. No I think we're on our own with this one, though I could see if Allison has heard anything. Oh shoot before I forget, Lydia wants a look at the journal, I supplied her with the basic mountain ash stuff after the incident but that's not going to keep her satisfied for long.” Derek balks, “absolutely not!” Cora sighs, “we'll talk to Laura but I'm with Derek on this one the less people involved the better.” Stiles nods, “I was kind of hoping you'd say that, but there's no guarantee that will stop her, she's pretty relentless with learning stuff. Anyhoo I gotta head out, Deaton's school of witchcraft and wizardry starts in an hour.” Cora looked puzzled “Lydia Martin?” But Stiles is already marching towards his jeep.

  
  


Stiles pulls into the clinic parking lot, only to find Deaton waiting outside for him. “Uh, hi,” he offers getting out of his jeep. Deaton simply smiles his annoyingly knowing yet vague smile. “Stiles, we are going for a walk,” Stiles stops eyes wide. “Listen I wont tell anyone I'm sorry I asked you to teach me anything. If you kill me Scott will totally quit, and forever make sad puppy face at you!” Deaton's mouth twists into a strange approximation of his normal frustrating smile, and baffled annoyance. It's an impressive look.

“Stiles I am not threatening you, we do however need to go somewhere else, my shop is not optimal for this.” Stiles blinks, “oh, okay,” then he follows Deaton down a strangely well used game trail. “Uh, okay so where are we going and why the woods?” Deaton simply makes a “hmm” sound like he's not sure himself. Stiles has long associated that noise with teachers telling you to figure it out yourself and then being stupid levels of unhelpful. “Right then, figure it out.” Stiles is moping now.

After about half an hour Deaton the come to a low clearing Deaton sighs, “this should do quite nicely.” Stiles looks around “why, it's more open then your shop sure but I already said I can't do the dramatic stuff.” Deaton smiles holds out his hand whispers something and then along his line of sight, just left of Stiles a small perfectly straight line of fire ignites and extinguishes its self. Stiles releases a squeak and flinches violently to the side. “Okay warning next time!” Stiles glares then looks at the charred line, “how'd you do that anyway?” 

Deaton cocked his head to the side, “how indeed. How did you know I had the warding in my shop?” Stiles thought, Deaton would know the answer if he knew even a little bit of what Stiles did. So he reached out and that's when it hit him. A pulse, a steady stream of energy from three different directions. It was different from when he used the force charm in the car, out of curiosity he mumbles the charm at a nearby stone. Focusing on the pulse around him, the stone leaps into his hand. Deaton smiles a little wider. “Okay wow, that still smarts but it was so much easier!”

“There's a reason people say not to meddle with a witch on their own turf. Most druids and other practitioners set up shop on an intersection of Telluric Currents.” Deaton's smile took on a sardonic twist, “since you were wondering how I power my defenses.” Stiles balks, “okay, but will the fire type stuff come easier with practice?” Deaton shrugs, “if that's where your talent lies.” Stiles frowned, “what do you mean?” Deaton looks thoughtful for a moment. “We have our specialties, some things are easier than others. Some druids use their power to focus on an external goal. Hexing, or pyrokinesis, or the like. Others weave magic through themselves into a passive effect, warding, charms, and passive enchantments. The most dramatic work use the two together. There are two other main types but they are probably not what you're here for.” Stiles crosses his arms, “tell me and we'll know.”

Deaton sighs, Stile's curiosity would only take so much of the vague treatment. “Well there are people who let the ambient power flow through them. This usually has minimal results, speeding the healing process, increasing reaction time, speed and durability. Nothing so dramatic as say a werewolf's natural abilities but still above normal human levels. It requires intense concentration usually in the form of daily meditation, can you do that?” Stiles opened his to protest made a vague sound and then shut it again. “Thought so, the third type comes in the form of pacts. Usually you make an offering to the right being and a service is performed or knowledge imparted. Rarely do you find people with a natural affinity for such beings. These people become warlocks simply by existing and desiring, it rarely ends well though. They are beacons to all nearby beings, many of whom will parasatize them or possess them, neither is pleasant.” Stiles comments on this, “standard Faustian bargain then?” Deaton nods, “rarely is it so direct but yes, I wouldn't recommend it though, there's a lot of chanting and being respectful.” Again Stiles wants to protest but if his report cards since kindergarten said anything about him it's that he was vocal when he shouldn't be.

“Let's start with charms” Stiles offers. Deaton raises an eyebrow. “I've practiced with them before, they don't tire me out. And it's just easier for me to focus on the three things at once instead of the laser focus on one thing.” Deaton nods at that, “then let's see if you can create a self sustaining charm on this intersection.” With that the lesson went forward, Stiles having to figure most of it out on his own but Deaton was more helpful than he was afraid of. Less forthcoming than he'd hoped but baby steps are still steps.

  
  


The weekend ends soon enough, Monday arrives, Cora walks into Beacon Hills high school eager to explore. It's about as thrilling as Cora had imagined. True new people were interesting, but this is small town life. By the end of the week Cora has come to understand why Lydia had jumped at new blood so eagerly. Her first few classes passed by uneventfully enough, Stiles had been impressively thorough in his notation. Which given the way he twitches through three different subjects (one of which seems to be magic-theory) while taking notes is truly fascinating.

Given how he's been when Derek's in the room, she is sadistically inclined to play matchmaker. Unfortunately she's decided she likes Stiles too much, also it might end in something a little too fuzzy-wuzzy for her stomach to handle. _Though_ she thinks _if there's anything that would keep Derek off **my** ass it would be... No brain shall not go there, ugh, I've spent to much time with Stiles._

She's also come to appreciate a few other members of the world, she's taken to observing with Danny over the week. She'd learned a great deal, and she is filing it all away for later use. First, something happened between Scott and Jackson, who have been going out of their way to avoid conversing, when Jackson used to find any excuse to torment Scott or Stiles available. That said if he finds one of the rare moments Stiles is without Scott, which is usually Allison's fault, there is no mercy like he's making up for lost time.

Second there are a few loners who are fascinating. Sure you have your basic idiots that never got over the sociopathic middle schooler phase. Then you have Boyd, who looks like someone who'd barrel through lacrosse but instead sits quietly alone reading something or other. He doesn't interact with people and seems lost in his own world. When he isn't being very clearly Danny levels observant. Cora thinks she should start a club, info dealing between her, Boyd, and Danny. They would be unstoppable, this will happen, it is her current project.

Next comes Erica and Isaac, those two are interesting. Isaac is a loner because he flinches away from everyone. Erica looks like she might die at any moment, but she has a fire that makes Isaac look like a pale shadow in comparison. If she thought she could manipulate Laura without being played, she'd try to get Erica bitten.

After them comes Matt, stealing glances at Allison who is clearly aware of him and ignoring it. He also sends the occasional hate filled look Isaac's way if the boy gets to close. What's that about? Danny says he doesn't know, something happened in fourth grade, they were friends before that. Cora had project number two, expose the secret. Matt's not so much a loner as a hanger-on to Jackson and mostly ends up Jackson's lackey.

Lastly is Allison, Ms. Argent, who may in fact be a member of the family responsible for the Hale fire. She's going to need to be careful, the fact that there may actually be people out to get them has done wonders for Derek's paranoia. Allison is frustrating, Cora wants to hate her, or at least be chronically suspicious of her. The way she is makes that impossible, the hardened look to her eyes, a look that softens every time she's with Scott or Lydia. Cora recognizes it from her time in front of a mirror, and it sucks, the most she can hit with Allison is resigned antipathy.

  
  


By Thursday Cora is tired of bouncing between Stiles and her friend group for notes, at least Scott and Allison's relationship has instigated them sitting closer at lunch. Cora comes up with a scheme with Scott. At lunch she ambushes Stiles and manhandles him into the open seat next to Danny. Scott grinning like a loon sits next to Allison who seems pleasantly surprised. Danny raises an eyebrow at Cora, Lydia looks mildly intrigued at the turn of events (Stiles suspects she's calculating likelihood of bloodshed). Jackson looks like he's about to burst a blood vessel, “What's this about McCall?” Scott shrugs and points to Cora “her idea” then kind of flops his head over on Allison's shoulder, “not that I'm complaining.” Stiles shoots Scott the same look of betrayal that Jackson is giving Cora. “I'm sick of having to bounce between friend groups for my homework. This is much more efficient.” 

The satellite minions arrive and there is much passive aggressive sniping, so much sniping. Cora has decided that yes, this was the right decision. Stiles gives as good as he gets better even, eventually the whole scene is boiling towards contained tolerance. Lydia seems to watch this whole scene with bored amusement. Cora goes back to observing when the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, she turns around to see two, very attractive twin boys strut magnificently into the cafeteria. They smirk and begin through the crowds to get lunch. Cora realizes she's not the only one staring open mouthed, Danny has a very similar look. They exchange a glance and wordlessly decide to pursue this later. Though the fact that the twins were both Alphas may complicate things.

Clearly a relationship did not hinder ones eyes if the way Jackson clutches Lydia tighter as the twins walk past was any indication. The girl has good taste appearance-wise, though Cora wonders if there are hidden depths to Jackson that makes up for his; Jacksonness. _Jacksnonness? Girl you have definitely been spending to much time with Stiles_ , her internal voice so helpfully supplies.

  
  


Derek Hale is speaking to a contractor about fixing up the Hale house, he is also contemplating the mistakes in his life that have led him to this moment. Surely there are many ways in which this state of affairs could have been prevented. While “reclaiming the property” was all well and good as far as official channels were involved, what if the Argents caught wind of this? What if they already had? Shouldn't the three of them be laying low? Instead they were hanging a big neon sign over their heads. Laura was being reckless, this wasn't like her.

He watched her preforming a walk through with the electrician, most of the wiring was shot. They could save the copper wire from it, but the fuses and such would have to be replaced. The plumbing had evidently held up better after the water was shut off. Derek is now busying himself sorting through the shattered remains of their personal items. Mom's brooch that their dad had given her for their ten year anniversary, dad's silver plated lighter, he'd given up smoking but it had belonged to his grandfather. Nana's mirror, Derek had always wondered if she could scry with it, it was remarkably unmarred by the whole thing. Peter's library would have to be junked entirely, what books were salvageable had long since been removed by their uncle.

Derek ran a hand over a family photo, the whole family, Peter, Darla, Tabitha, Tallia, Didi, Nickolas, Michael and the kids. Everyone was smiling, Derek thought back to the day this was taken, he had been fifteen at the time. His dad was bickering with Peter the entire time, while mom had watched the entire thing with amused tolerance. They'd just gotten through the ethics of Richard Nixon's presidency when Darla, Peter's wife, called them in for food. The twins and Cora came bouncing into view, covered in grim that the fathers immediately set to cleaning. “We caught five frogs and a turtle!” Cora crows triumphantly, while dad was busy wiping down her hands with enough sanitized rags to make the picnic smell like a hospital. Derek never thought he'd be nostalgic for the mixed scents of hotdogs and rubbing alcohol.

Laura eases the picture frame out of his hand, “it looks like the glass will need to be replaced but the frame is salvageable.” She says while easing her brother up, letting him lean on her and giving him a half hug. Derek sucks at words, so Laura simply supports him, she's floundering but she's getting better. Derek runs a finger over his father's signet ring, the interlocking lines of the triquetra soothed him it was his keep sake from their grandmother. Each of them had gotten something in the time-capsule. A Triskelle spiral for Cora and a Five-Fold for Laura, they were magic, each of the wolves could feel it but what they did was unknown.

  
  


“So why don't werewolves employ magic?” Stiles asks. Deaton looks up from where he's sitting with a book, and hesitates for a moment. “Where is this coming from?” Stiles finishes anchoring the charm and let the feedback loop into the telluric current they were practicing with. The charm would charge and then be ready, it's a simple thing, promotes luck, wellness, and calming. He intends to give it to Scott, the boy was kind of jumpy lately, even with Allison. “You mentioned there's magic that speeds healing and reaction time, why don't werewolves use it to give themselves an edge? Er, more of an edge.” Because if Cora was any proof, werewolves already cheat.

Deaton responds after a few seconds, “werewolves have innate magic, it's what fuels their strength, speed, healing, and transformations. Magic is like a well, you tap into it to make things happen. We aren't using our potential, werewolves are, so doing more exhausts the resource sometimes permanently.” Stiles looks up “so they could lose their wolfieness?” Deaton shrugs “they could lose their life. At the same time they need to let it out, the magic that comes from their wolf is more direct than ours. Try to stifle it and it will pour out from the pressure, this will show up as migraines and black outs. While the magic, in this case in the form of their wolf, takes over.” Stiles raises his eyebrows in surprise, “wow, and I thought balancing school and lacrosse sucked.” Deaton lets Stiles get back to work, “in a fortnight is the next full moon, I want you to refresh the wards in my shop then. Think of it as your first exam.” Stiles nods before reclaiming the charm.

  
  


Allison and Scott have been officially dating for two weeks, and things are going smoothly. No hellhound attacks, Stiles and her sharing information which lets her keep an eye on him. Jackson and Lydia have returned to the delightful sense of normalcy she was accustomed to. Unfortunately this meant the investigation stalled, with no new leads they were hitting a wall. Her dad refused to provide any info on the fire, he wasn't even subtle about changing the subject. She told Stiles that the family records she had access to didn't have anything. He told her all his knowledge came from a book. They're both lying, Stiles' is making too much progress, he has a teacher. This information however she has decided to keep to herself. If her dad didn't feel like coming clean about the Hale fire (which if hunters were involved was a clear violation of the code) she didn't feel the need to share Stiles' increase in skill.

As she and Scott walk towards the front door to her house after their latest date. Her dad expects her home by six PM sharp. They share one last kiss, and Allison smiles tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I'd invite you in but dad's probably got a training regimen all planned out.” Scott smiles, “maybe I could watch sometime?” Allsion wishes he could, damn she wishes she could show off, but he wouldn't survive in her world.

“Or you could just come in for dinner.” A cheery voice piped up from the driveway. Allison and Scott both jump at the intrusion as a blond woman probably in her late twenties or early thirties rounds the truck in the drive. Allison screams with joy “Aunt Kate! When did you get here!” She runs to her aunt and throws her arms around her. “Just this afternoon, and the way my brothers been grumbling I had to come see the boyfriend for myself.” She looks Scott over before shaking his hand, “damn Alley Cat, hold onto this one or I might try and steal him.” Scott blushes and is extremely flustered, Allison playfully slaps her aunt's arm “cradle robber, besides, Scott's far to much of a gentleman for you.” Kate shrugs, “I do tend towards the bad boys don't I?”

“Something I wish you would consider more carefully if only for the sake my heart.” Scott and Allison both turn to see an older man probably in his early sixties standing in the doorway to her house. “Hello Allison, and Scott correct? I think my daughter had the right idea about dinner though. Allison we can hold off on training for one night so we can all meet this new boyfriend of yours.” Allison tenses slightly, Scott had come to know her posture extremely well over the last few weeks, she's nervous. Scott's very, very nervous now, but he really doesn't want to be rude. “Uh, sure, is it all right if I call my mom to let her know I wont be home for dinner?” The older man smiles, it was a disarming and kind smile. “Right this way” he says and offers his hand “I'm Gerard, Allison's grandfather, on her dad's side.” Scott shakes it and Allison gives him a hug “Grandpa Gerard I didn't know you and Aunt Kate were dropping by. Nothing serious I hope?” Gerard still smiling simply says “nothing that can't wait until after dinner.”

 

 


	6. Argents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Scott has an awkward family dinner, I like kicking my characters in small annoying ways, and Cora as "The Ultimate Wing-man"

 

Dinner with Allison's family is nerve wracking to say the least. Scott looks around the room, Allison to his left. Gerard sits at the head of the table Kate at his right next to Allison. At Scott's right and Gerard's left sits Chris, keeping an imposing eye on his daughter's boyfriend. Occasionally he'll shoot a look at Kate and Allison who are clearly gossiping about something. Gerard seems calmly amused by the whole spectacle. “So, Scott, you go to school with my granddaughter. I heard that you also play lacrosse, how is that?” Gerard has the look of a doting grandfather and he seemed much more open in expression than Chris who looks wary of everyone.

 

“Yes sir, I usually run offense, Coach Finstock says I have the speed for it.” Scott replies giving one of his crooked smiles that's only a little forced. “We went to state last year, I'm hoping to win at state this year. Which we should have a shot at we haven't lost a game yet.” Gerard nods at this, “that is impressive, how's your schooling though. I hope you don't excel in one area to slack in others, a well-rounded education is important. Which is what we're trying to teach Allison.” Allison smiles at her grandfather “speaking of education did dad tell you about my new gymnastics partner? He shows a lot of promise.” Gerard looks at her possibly irritated at the interruption but the look passes. “He did, he said you two have managed to work together as a team quite well despite your limited amount of time training together.”

 

Scott watches the ongoing dinner with a measure of fascination. The dynamics of the Argent family were alien to him. Kate whispers something to Allison causing her to blush and laugh behind her hand. Chris glares daggers at his sister who shoots him a smug expression. “We started a project on family history this week,” Scott said hoping to answer Gerard's questions without giving away his C average tendencies. “I'm not sure if I'm going to do well, most of my family lives out of state. Allison says you guys go all the way back to medieval France though.”

 

Gerard smiles his fond grandfatherly smile, “interested in history are you? We were a minor noble family. Granted lands by the king when our ancestor brought down a beast that had been terrorizing the smaller towns. I know he became a huntsman for the court but I'm not sure what his title was. It was a minor holding I do know that.” Scott looks at Allison wide eyed “That's so cool, you’re probably going to have the best presentation.” Scott thinks about getting Stiles to research some of those leads for Allison. If there was anyone who followed weird obscure research trails it was Stilinski. If the economics report on the history of circumcision was anything to go on.

 

After dinner the conversation winds down, mostly small talk and probing questions about the animal attacks. Questions that Scott is extremely vague about since Stiles had gone in very much depth about things not to talk about with anyone other than him and apparently Lydia. Who was talking to him maybe? This whole thing was confusing; Scott had a girlfriend and is now part of first line. Stiles and Lydia were talking, hanging out, and doing research. There is a new girl and they are all eating lunch together and Jackson is not antagonizing Scott as much as he used to. It's like he tripped and fell through the looking glass into a strange teen-sitcom version of his life. Scott kisses Allison good night retrieves his bike and is back on the road.

\-----

 

 

 

After Scott leaves Allison walks into the den where her extended family is meeting. “You know she can't continue dating a civilian. He's got a drive, but he'd never be able to live the life, he'll have no conviction when it comes time to deliver the blow.” Allison sighs, “grandfather, that's why I like him, I like having someone around who doesn't need to fight. I'm in high school; I'll decide what to do with this relationship when I graduate. Does that sound agreeable?” Gerard leans pack into his seat, “I suppose so, you are young after all and I know Kate still hasn't settled down on anything yet. I just want you to be prepared for the future, whatever it may be.” Allison nods, “I will, and thank you for being nice to him, he's really not cut out for the full Argent rundown.” 

 

 

Kate laughs, “I'm surprised you didn't give him a tour of the gun locker after dinner Chris. You spent all evening looking like you wanted to strangle the boy.” Chris gave a derisive snort, “I have more to worry about with regards to Allison's safety than a teenage boy who falls over his own bike.” Allison winces slightly at that, Scott would probably faint if he knew her dad had seen that little stumble earlier.

 

 

“Aw” Kate coos, “Allison, you managed to pick out a puppy. I remember the last one I had my eye on.” Gerard looks up no longer pensive, “which, if you had moved in sooner, would have finished off the whole clan instead of scattering them like it did.” Kate clams up looking seriously uncomfortable, Allison notices her father flinch. Her grandfather turns to her smiling easily like he hadn't just reprimanded Allison's aunt in front of her. “Starting this week you'll be working with my magical adviser, she'll also be starting at your school next week.” Gerard gestures to the door and Allison turns to see a woman in her late twenties or early thirties with brown hair and a soft smile. “Pleasure to finally meet you Allison, my name is Jennifer.”

\-----

 

 

 

 

Around eight o'clock Scott is biking home and Stiles is pacing around his room. Of course his house can't be built on a current. That would make life too easy. He's making do by moving along his charms and warding to form a matrix. His basic geometry knowledge is serving him for non-homework life much sooner than he thought; he owes his math teacher an apology. He is also trying very hard not to flip over the knowledge that his best friend's girlfriend may in fact be part of a line of homicidal pyromaniacs. Oh shit, and he's a witch, do they even do witch burning anymore, is that a thing? Have they been covering up some Salem nonsense all these years?

 

 

His cell ringing interrupts his latest tangent of “ways Stiles could die horribly”. Oh goody, it's Allison, is this an omen? Does thinking about Allison or her family murdering him summon her? How deep does magic go? Stiles takes a deep breath and thinks “calm down Stiles, you are overthinking this and working yourself up over convenient dramatic timing.”

 

 

“Hi Allison, I hope this is good non-murder news I'm having a day.” Stiles answers the phone and internally curses his motor mouth. Allison doesn't seem perturbed at all, “I wish I did, my life would be better with a nice boyfriend in a quiet town. Where my biggest worry is keeping his spastic friend away from dark magic.” Stiles twists his face into a very interesting expression at the unflattering description. Allison continues, “That is not our lives though, we have teleporting murder dogs, weird huntsman demons, and my hardliner family members paying a surprise extended visit.”

 

 

Stiles is about one piece of bad news away from a heart attack, “it could just be a very devoted LARPer Allison. Also you wouldn't be talking about the kill it with fire, great-sword wielding side of the family?” Allison sighs, “Stiles my family doesn't burn witches,” _No just werewolves_ Stiles thinks bitterly. “My family shoots witches, it's more reliable. What's a larper?” Stiles suppresses a scream, it comes out as mildly unhinged laugh. “So not the point Allison.”

 

The doorbell rings and Stiles is continuing the back and forth almost on autopilot. There is a very impatient looking Lydia standing on his porch. Apparently she's done putting up with his stall tactics, “all right Stiles, journal now, you promised.” Stiles takes a few seconds to process. “Is that Lydia? Journal? Stiles, how is Lydia involved? No you know what scratch that I'm coming over” there's a slight growl in Allison's voice. Stiles panics “No Allison that's not-” Lydia narrows her eyes “why are you talking to Allison?” The phone line goes dead; Lydia pushes past him into his house. He's going to be home alone, with two attractive women, one of them being Lydia, he's had very embarrassing dreams that start like this. Why does this feel like a nightmare? “Fuck my life” he groans shutting the door and waits for the other shoe to drop.

\-----

 

 

 

About half an hour later an annoyed looking Allison is standing on Stiles' porch. A bored Lydia is currently flipping through his stuff. Not even trying to hide the hunt for usable blackmail. “Hi Allison, I figured I'd wait for you to get here, might as well get people up to speed and less likely to murder me.” Allison walks in “that would be wise.” Lydia examines the whole scene before her. “Up to speed? Allison, how are you involved in this? Also Stiles journal.”

 

 

“Okay Lydia, no, that journal has things its original owners do not want me to tell you. Allison, Lydia is aware mountain ash can protect her from horrible teleporting dog beasts.” Lydia looks cross, “and not much else.” Stiles turns to her and grins, “Lydia, Allison's family hunts werewolves, hell hounds, and witches like me.” Allison balks at him “Stiles, you're making us sound like murderous lunatics!” she hisses. “House fire Allison” Allison blinks; she puts a couple things together right then and there. “You think we started it.”

 

 

Lydia not being a slouch in the two and two make four department; “so let me get this straight, you suspect Allison's family of starting the Hale fire. I'm not allowed to have the journal, because of its original owners pressuring you.” She looks at them smug equation solved look all over her face. “Cora's family wrote the journal, now you have to walk a line between them and the people who might have tried to kill them.” Then her face falls slightly, she glares at Stiles “I do to now!” Stiles looks enthusiastic despite everything, “you two figured it out, not my fault act of providence.”

 

 

Lydia turns her attention to Allison, “and your involvement?” Allison shifts, “I saved him from those things that attacked you.” She sags slightly easing herself into a chair as the full weight of what she's learned hitting her. “I don't know, my father's covering something up, I don't know if the Argent's or other hunters where responsible or if we're just involved. It doesn't look good no matter how you slice it though.” Stiles looks at her, she seems genuinely hurt by the possibility of her family being responsible. “I know you weren't involved, I also know you are a good person Allison, scary, slightly homicidal, but fundamentally good.”

 

 

Allison looks up wryly, “a glowing endorsement. So are the Hales the one's teaching you?” Stiles' turn to look embarrassed, “Er, no. Also Cora seems cool with you but the others, not fans.” Lydia shrugs “wonder why.” Allison shoots her a glare “Alright, everything everyone's willing to share is out in the open. How about we discuss the real problem at hand.” Stiles nods, “hell hounds, if that's what they are.” Allison perks up slightly, “my family does have a bestiary we could consult.” Stiles suppresses a snicker “Allison I think you mean” he's promptly silenced by Lydia's notebook hitting him over the head. “Ugh, no Stiles it's a book of mythical creatures.” Lydia almost looks embarrassed for him.

 

 

“Only problem, unless you or your teacher reads Archaic Latin we're still at square one.” Allison frowns losing herself in thought. Lydia pipes back up “I read Archaic Latin.” Stiles and Allison turn to her shocked. “What? I got bored with classical.” Allison and Stiles respond in unison “how smart are you!?” Lydia crosses her arms, “do you want it translated or not?” 

 

 

Stiles grins this night has gotten way less awful. “Alright, as for the fire what would you need to rule out your family?” Allison contemplates a minute, “death records from around the time. My family wouldn't have acted unless they suspected something. Even at their worst they want to minimize casualties.” Stiles suspects that if that were true they would stick to their code, but he doesn't say as much. “That would involve sneaking some files out of my dad's office... Which will not be easy he's on kind of an eliminate the Stiles' presence from the office kick.”

 

 

Lydia watches this exchange, “Danny could probably hack the coroner's office database, and he’d get anything they've copied digitally. We'd only need to sneak out any records that involved the living or that weren't scanned and downloaded.” Stiles and Allison look at each other, then at Lydia, “you want to involve Danny?” Allison asks, Lydia shrugs unconcerned, “this is big so he'll probably find out about it soon enough anyway; information's kind of his hobby. Keeping Jackson out of the loop will be easier too, I honestly can't see having Jackson involved helping anything.” 

 

 

Stiles looks at them, “Alright fine, but we're inducting him somewhere else so I don't get a migraine from the undeniable proof of magic.” Allison's eyes narrow suspiciously but she doesn't say anything, good on her, she's at least waiting to go on a witch-hunt. “As for you Allison, how much does your dad know about me? Does he know there's someone teaching me?” Allison's face looks like she's bit into an apple and found half a worm. “Only that you know the basics of the basics from an old book. I, uh, didn't want you involved unless I was sure my family didn't violate the code.” Stiles blinks genuinely surprised, “wow, thanks! That said though we should probably get Cora along on the meet and greet with Danny. Everyone needs to be on the same 'no murder' page.”

 

 

After the plan is drawn up Allison and Lydia both leave. Stiles closes the door, retraces his charms and decides being comatose for the next few hours sounds much better than being a member of the waking world.

\-----

 

 

Monday Cora and Danny are enacting the perfect bait and switch wing-man plan. The targets had just entered the Beacon Hill high school library, twins, both solidly built walls of hunk, Cora and Danny evaluating their chances. Is Cora about to shamelessly flirt with an alpha half with the intention of hooking her new squishy human friend up with one or the other alpha? Despite him not knowing a thing about the supernatural world of Beacon Hills. Is Cora also a fifteen year-old member of an age group known for it's spectacularly bad decisions? Both of these questions are a resounding yes.

 

“All right here’s the plan, I’m going to ask them to get one of the books off the top shelf. You watch them, the one not staring at my rack is the one you have a shot with.” Danny rolls his eyes, “what if they both stare at you?” Cora thinks back to the scouting missions she’s done to get here. One of them is gay, she’s sure of it, and she’s sure Danny knows it too. She puts her hands on her hips and arches one very well maintained eyebrow an expression she’s taken to calling “the Lydia.” Danny laughs a little bit, “okay, yeah, it was stupid but I figured I’d ask, by the way did you ask Lydia to teach you that or is it pure monkey see, monkey do?” Cora smiled at him bends forward like she’s about to steal a kiss “wouldn’t you like to know.” She turns on her heel and puts on her most perplexed face. One plan later and some “timely assistance” from Danny showing up later Cora had a date with Aiden. Danny was savoring it though. Cora was a “take what you want kind of girl,” Danny clearly liked the chase. The flirting is obvious and very painfully roundabout

 

Tiring of it Cora knocked one of Danny’s books on the floor. Danny looks unamused; Cora looks perfectly innocent, and bends down to pick up the fallen textbook. Ethan takes the opportunity to get a long look at Danny’s (admittedly great) ass. Danny turns around swiftly enough to obviously catch Ethan; taking advantage of his stunned silence he says, “Buy me dinner first.” Ethan’s jaw drop turns into a slow sly smile, “how does six o’ clock sound?” Danny smiles and writes down his address. Cora and Danny share a congratulatory fist bump on the way out of the library; unbeknownst to them Ethan and Aiden do the same.

\-----

 

 

The week comes and goes, as does another lacrosse game Scott and Jackson harry each other so much that the other teams take advantage. Unfortunately this seems to be a feint and a few Jackson to McCall passes later Beacon Hills secures another in a line of victories. There is much celebration and to the shock of those observant enough to notice, even Jackson gives Scott an approving nod.

 

Isaac is again working late, arranging new flowers and removing dead ones and finishing a new plot. He’s just climbed out of the whole when there’s a snapping behind him and Isaac turns to see his father. “This is where you’ve been, can’t even be bothered to come home. Can’t be bothered to make dinner. The dead mean that much you can spend the night with them.” He shoves Isaac hard and the boy lands in the hole he sees the cover used to keep water and such out slowly being moved to cover it. He screams a wild, panicked, and inhuman sound. His father just laughs. “What’re you afraid of? It’s roomier than that old fridge.”

 

Two animals stalk closer and closer to the man who smells to strongly of cheap beer. The black dog growls a low ugly sound, its putrid saliva oozes to the ground from bared fangs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all this chapter's end feels kinda rushed to me because I realized it was too long so I split it up and added a little to chapter seven.


	7. Lahey's Hideous End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which shit's bout to hit the fan and I am a sadist because I can.

 

            Allison felt the cold of the basement wall against her back, she’d been stupid, let herself be lured into the nest, and her first real mission was about to end with her torn apart by pixies of all things. The menacing little fluttering beasts had chewed through most of her layers. The torch and the iron knife brandished in front of her being the only thing between her and very messy death. The pixies gnashed their oversized little fangs angrily, they wanted her and they weren’t a monster known for patience.  They started to surge forward until a shout distracted them, then there was fire, and a shimmering cloud of iron filings. The horrible little things screamed before dropping like flies.

 

            She remembered being reprimanded and angrily working herself to exhaustion, and there was her aunt. Even compared to her father Kate was good, Gerard’s star pupil. Some of what she’d seen of her aunt had scared Allison. Kate sat down with her exhausted niece, too tired to tell her to go away, to tired even to cry she simply stared sullenly into the distance. Kate put an arm around her niece, “we all screw up Alley Cat.” The affectionate nickname having none of Kate’s normal sarcastic edge, Allison responded dully “mistakes in our world end with people dying.” Kate smiled, “yes, but that didn’t happen tonight, tonight you survived, you’re alive, so learn from it and be better.” That was the first real field lesson Allison learned, and she’s resolved to use it to it’s fullest…

 

            The abrupt switch from a soft classical piece to hard rock shocks Allison out of her reverie, the blinking cursor of the open Word document showing the end of her latest train of thought. She sighs and stretches and begins to work the knots out of her muscles. Half finished family history paper mockingly staring back at her from the computer. “Friday night, so I can afford a couple more hours.” She sighs and goes for a cup of weak tea. While stirring the honey into the still too hot to drink beverage her phone buzzes. Allison reprimands herself for forgetting it in her pocket. Her irritation finds a new outlet at seeing Stiles’ name on the caller ID “Stiles it’s,” a quick glance at the nearest clock showed one forty-five in the morning _seriously?_ “Nearly two, why are you calling?” “Okay, so I’ve set up a system to try and monitor any supernatural shenanigans. Like magic surges sort of, it’ll only show where things appear not where they go but- wait, two? Oh it is, sorry.” Allison inwardly groaned, “Stiles focus, is there a reason for this call or do I have to make phone etiquette an unforgettable lesson?” Stiles stopped babbling, “oh, uh, yeah, I got a hit near the cemetery about ten minutes ago, it took a while to pinpoint it.” As if on cue the police scanner being monitored by the dozing Taylor started up with a domestic disturbance call in the direction of the cemetery.

\-----

 

 

Ten minutes ago

 

            Isaac screams as a black form barrels into his father, who went down with a grunt. Panicked he tries to climb the damp crumbling side of the empty grave.  The edge gives way but a gauntlet clad hand catches Isaac before he can fall back into the cold earth. Hauling the skinny teen out Isaac looks into the helmeted face of a fairy-tale huntsman. He registers his father screaming as the two hounds he’s become so accustomed to tag team his old man. Their fangs taking chunks out of his flesh, he looks again at the man who rescued him from his angle he can see familiar features. Scott McCall turns an ethereal green gaze from the scene of carnage to the young man beside him. Stepping back he salutes then he prepares to throw a net on the two dogs savaging his father.  The two separate and stare down the huntsman growling viciously. Isaac realizes that a third white hound sits at Scott’s side. Scott lowers the net and the two black dogs turn and flee vanishing in clouds of shadow. When Isaac turns from where they were to Scott he finds himself alone. As the whole situation catches up to him Isaac promptly throws up his meager dinner and shivering listens to the approaching sirens.

\-----

 

 

            It’s six in the morning and the police have just wrapped up their questioning. Isaac is alone in the cemetery main building trying to make sense of the world; the police asked him so many times what happened. He said wild dogs attacked his dad that he fell into the grave he’d been digging when they attacked and by the time he got out it was too late. The Sheriff told him not to feel guilty, mistaking his unease for survivor’s guilt, that his fall probably saved his own life. Isaac reflected with a certain wry amusement that he was still covering for his dad, no that wasn’t quite right; he was covering for the one ho saved him.

 

            Several questions were still running through his head, what was Scott doing there? Why hadn’t he said anything? Why did he look the way he did? Why didn’t he seem to recognize Isaac? Isaac supposed that the last answer was easy; he and Scott never really spoke. Sure they were on the lacrosse team, and in a few classes together but that didn’t really mean anything.

 

            Interrupted from his thoughts by a knock at the door, _joy well-wishers already_ , Isaac sighs and slowly rises. What greets Isaac at the entrance to his home is unexpected, though given his day Isaac can’t really imagine what he should be expecting. An old man with a grandfatherly demeanor accompanied by two others, a younger man in his early twenties, and a face he knew well, Allison Argent. “Hello son, may we come in?” The old man asked with a small sad smile. Curious Isaac moved aside but he was immediately set on alert. Aside from the man, Allison looked like she didn’t want to be here, and the other man had a manic gleam to his expression.

 

            “Allison darling, would you make some coffee for us? Assuming our host doesn’t mind?” Gerard as the old man introduced himself, looked at Isaac who simply shrugged. “I don’t really think it’s my house anymore. Ward of the state and all.” Allison nodded, “yes grandfather, how do you take yours Isaac?” He looked at her startled, “uh, black, I guess.” She nodded again and went into the kitchen. Isaac sat opposite Gerard, “I’d like to ask what you saw Isaac.” Isaac frowned, “ask the police.” Gerard laughed a little bit at that, “I believe you know as well as I do that the police are not equipped to handle these, what did you see.” Isaac abridged the events he added the disappearing act by the dogs he still didn’t mention Scott. Something about Gerard’s disarming and friendly attitude next to the feverish expression of his companion and Allison’s strangely withdrawn attitude set his teeth on edge.

 

            “And that’s about how it went down, so what are they?” Gerard frowned, “I don’t know but I do know where I can find out. Isaac I’d like to ask you if you want revenge for your father, and if you’d like to stop this from ever happening again?” _Ah so that’s his game_ , Isaac thought, he wondered how much Allison knew about Scott and by extension how much Gerard knows. “I’ll have to think about it a bit, I’ve been up all night and my father’s body is barely cold. But I do want to help, I want to make sure those I care about are safe.” Isaac’s voice took on a hard edge that surprised even him; Gerard smiled like that was exactly what he needed to hear.

\----

 

 

            Scott was unfortunately waking up in his own backyard, in his underwear, cold, and slightly damp with morning dew, and very glad his mom was already at work and not here to see him. Sheepishly he made his way to his bathroom to shower for the coming weekend.

\----

 

 

            Stiles is a nervous pacing wreck, this seems to have become his normal state of being. Lydia is sitting and looking bored, Stiles looks at Allison, “You know this could well end very badly right? Like dead bodies, and crying, and, and I dunno, terrible stuff.” Stiles is practically hyperventilating. Allison looks up at him, calmly stands up and puts an arm around his shoulder she sits him next to Lydia, “Stiles, this is a meeting under truce, no one will do anything. Sure shit might hit the fan later but right now the code dictates that I act only in self defense. Ok?” Stiles’ breathing slows and he nods.

 

            It’s at that point that Cora makes her entrance, “sorry I’m late, I had to shake Derek and that took like a full hour, he’s not normally this persistent.” She looks around sees the pale Stiles with Allison’s arm around him. “Okay, who died?” Allison smiles despite herself, “too many people, and I think that it’s time to stop that.” Cora’s eyes narrow, “that’s a bit too real an answer for my question, true as it is.” She turns to Stiles he winces, “what’d you tell her?” Allison puts herself between Cora and Stiles, “nothing, however, I know enough about what happened here years ago to know that your family is involved in something.” She sighs, “mine too, and that whatever it is could replay it’s self and I don’t want that to happen.”

            Cora’s realizes she’s angry, angry that despite having Derek breathing down her neck for the last week and having to keep herself on a short leash so she doesn’t worry Laura or worse piss her off, and an Argent still found them out. Cora’s eyes glow yellow and she lets loose the claws and fangs. “Roar Miss Argent now you know my terrible secret. I am in fact too good to be human.” Allison rolls her eyes, “You’re not inhuman Cora, and you clearly have quite a bit of control. Honestly it’s impressive based on what I know of your kind, born not turned then I’m guessing?” Cora’s face kind of falls, “okay ‘Your kind’ is kinda racist, and you’re reacting way to well for this to be fun.” Allison shrugs “a werewolf with the kind of control you possess barely pings my radar of worries at this point.” Allison’s face betrays nothing but the werewolf thing does surprise her, she hadn’t expected it, but Gerard’s grudge and his comments started making a disturbing sense.

 

“Do you know why we called you here?” Cora puts the claws away and shrugs, “meeting to figure me out, we’re under truce though so you must trust me at least a little. That I’m here says that you don’t want Laura and Derek to know you know about us.” Cora winces a little at that statement, “it also makes you smart, Derek can be kind of a dumbass, and while I don’t think he’d hurt you or try too, he might try to scare you.” Stiles frowns “he nearly concussed me!” Allison laughs, “I think I’d be nothing but a disappointment to your brother.” Cora’s grin is truly terrible, “okay, family drama aside I vote you and I be besties, I actually think I could like you as a person and it’ll piss Derek off to no end.” Allison makes a face, “I’m going to assume that being disturbed by that statement is purely a product of me being an only child.” Cora nods sagely, “yes, yes it is, anyway is there a reason I’m here beyond establishing the ‘no killing’ dynamic?” Lydia who’s been patiently watching this whole thing like it’s a soap designed exclusively for her amusement pipes up. “We need Danny to hack the coroner’s data-base, possibly the sheriff’s office too, but I doubt it. Somehow pulling a by the way magic and werewolves exist, on him and he needs to find murder evidence by committing a felony, just doesn’t seem like the best way of handling things. Also, Allison, did you finally get access to the book?”

 

Allison smiles and produces a flashdrive, “all here for your convenience.” Lydia frowns, “since I’m translating until I find what we’re looking for so don’t hold your breath.” Allison nods, “between Stiles’ early warning system and my family we’ll hopefully be able to hold off any further attacks until we can put them away forever.” Cora chimes in, “meanwhile I think I can probably get Danny’s help via family sob story no need to reveal too much. That sounds like a much more reasonable plan than breaking the poor boy’s sense of reality.”

\-----

 

 

            The latest Cyclones victory party is in full swing when Isaac finally manages to corner Scott, “Scott, I wanted to say thanks for your help Friday night.” Scott blanches, then whispers conspiratorially “I’m super duper sorry if I did something bad, I don’t know what happened or if something got spiked but I have no clue what I did Friday night so please don’t call the sheriff he’ll tell my mom and she’ll never let me leave the house. She and sheriff Stilinksi are like bffs so I’d probably end up with a police escort.” Scott’s babbling and complete sincerity catches Isaac completely off guard, then he notices the physical changes. Scott’s stature doesn’t have the same confidence, his movements don’t have the unnatural grace, and his eyes are their normal dark brown. Isaac just nods and smiles “don’t worry, it’s was nothing, you just helped me out of a jam.” Scott looks genuinely relieved, “thanks, glad it’s nothing too serious or embarrassing.” Though now Scott’s worried about when exactly he lost his pants, not that he’d vocalize that one. Isaac excuses himself from the party, once he’s alone and starts thinking he makes a decision, pulling out Gerard’s number and dialing. “Hey, it’s Isaac Lahey, I want in, I want you to show me how to stop whatever’s out there.”

\-----

 

 

            An hour later and Isaac is in a rougher area of Beacon Hills, all industrial works, and train yards. He can see the scruffy man they’ve been tailing. Gerard is sitting next to him. “We need to make sure you can handle yourself when the time comes. That you can deliver the blow against what looks human but is not; you’ve seen him move correct?” Isaac nods, the man looks like he’s in his mid twenties. He’s tall handsome with a few days stubble. He’s also not human; Isaac remembered watching in near awe as he went up a vertical wall earlier in the night. “All we need from you is to get his attention, Kate will do the rest. You ready son?” Isaac nods again and gets out of the car, moving with purpose towards the man. Gerard turns to Kate, “this is your second shot, don’t blow it.” She holds up her gun, “wolfsbane rounds, even if it’s not a kill shot he’ll be dead in a day.” Gerard nods, “let’s hope so.”

\-----

 

 

            Derek’s been trying to tail Cora since she shook him that afternoon, he’d been about to try Stiles or Lydia’s house when he noticed he was being followed. He couldn’t tell by whom until, that is, a skinny high school student approaches him. Derek thinks he recognizes the kid, but can’t place the where. “I know you he said” the kid’s nervous;”you’ve been around our school.” Derek’s senses are on edge, the kid smells of sweat and anxiety, but his heart-beat is even and his stance screams determined to survive, like coyote backed into a corner. “Yeah, you pick up Cora, the new girl whose been hanging around Lydia and Scott.” Derek’s about to tell him to fuck off when a shot rings out, he was so distracted by the mixed signals of the kid that he didn’t notice anyone else there’s a searing pain in his shoulder and he runs.

 

            Gerard scowls at Kate, “not a fatal shot.” Kate looks at her father alarm written across her face, “I could’ve hit Isaac if I aimed anywhere else. Gerard makes a “humph” noise like Isaac’s death wouldn’t be a great tragedy. “I suppose the poison will have to do its work then. Get the kid and let’s go, Jennifer will be at Beacon Hills High this week, she’ll be able to keep an eye on Allison and Isaac.” Kate nods and tries to suppress a shudder, Jennifer scares her, she’s clearly not into the helpful healing end of magic. She starts the car and pulls up to Isaac motioning for him to get in. Derek watches them leave from behind a derelict freight engine. He can already feel the wolfsbane working its way through his system.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally figured out how to get the next few chapters set up and with any luck there will be no more delays. Woo! Hope y'all are ready for the fast approaching season finale of Wild Hunt.


	8. Aim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which... HOLY SHITE there's a lot going on.

                Laura walks down a nearby street seriously considering buying locater chips for her siblings. She’s unconcerned until she feels a wave of power wash over her. It’s like the combined will of half a dozen alphas, she stops. Two alphas emerge from the shadows flanking her, and then a blind man appears from the shadows in front of her. “Hello Miss Hale, I’m Duecalion, I presume you know why I’m here?” Laura steps back wary, “I’ve heard you’re building an army of alphas, I don’t know what that has to do with me beyond the obvious. I hope my polite refusal is enough to dissuade you.” Duecalion simply smile and shakes his head sadly, “I’m afraid refusal is not much of an option for you Miss Hale.” Laura tenses ready to fight and run, Deucalion smiles and says “please don’t take that as a threat, I respect Talia too much for that. Whatever you may think though, the Argent’s are aware of your presence here. They won’t be merciful,” Duecalion tapped his dark glasses, “I can guarantee that. Their patriarch and I however have some unfinished business, you assist me and I ensure your siblings remain safe. A debt I feel I owe your family after failing them ten years ago.” Laura’s voice is icy, her face impassive, even her heart beat is even; “I thank you for your offer Deucalion, but you can imagine I’d need to run it by my pack. I don’t make those kinds of choices without telling them.” Deucalion steps aside and makes a gesture for Laura to pass unharmed.

 

                Once Laura is in her car and halfway down the block Deucalion turns to the other two alphas, “Kali, find Derek, Ennis you grab Cora, I won’t be leaving her a choice in the matter.” The other two alphas nod and depart with swiftness and silence.

\-----

 

                Derek stumbles in the direction of, hopefully of Deaton’s, he has no idea how he’ll get there before collapsing. That is until a jeep’s fender hammers home the idea that he won’t.

\-----

 

                Stiles slams his breaks and manages to, hopefully, avoid killing someone, the jeep lurches but not from impact, that’s good right? He looks up to see Derek’s very frowny face staring back at him, with, not the usual hate glare. In fact Derek’s eyes look pretty unfocused, and now he’s on the ground. Stiles is out of the jeep before he fully registers that scary bastard Derek just collapsed in front of his vehicle. “Please don’t be dead, and my fault, I’m too young to be on the receiving end of a blood feud.” Stiles leans over Derek and starts hunting for a pulse, “Derek, buddy, please, please do not be dead, I’d be very upset if you’re dead, and so will Cora, and just think of Laura it’s not tha-“ Derek’s hand shoots out and grabs Stiles’ his voice is barely a croak “shut up Stiles.” Good enough, Stiles retrieves the first aid kit when he notices the gunshot wound. “Okay so I’m going to bind this up as much I can or else you could bleed out, and definitely get it all over my jeep.” Derek just growls “Deaton” Stiles nods, then starts giggling “werewolves use vets.” Derek’s hand grabs his shirt and Derek uses Stiles as a crutch to stand, “shut up and drive Stilinski.”

\-----

 

                Isaac is listening to Kate’s explanation of the bullets, how they’re made and how fast the poison takes out their targets. “Do you think I could study the compound? It seems like it would be prudent for me to know how to make it. Whether any of the ingredients can be found in the area.” Kate turns to him and tries to read his reaction, he’s cold, and still like a statue. Kate sighs, clearly he’s going to be another one of her father’s more rabid followers, and she seriously does not feel like dealing with competition. Still, a go-getter who was prepared was less likely to die, and Gerard didn’t seem to care if he kicked it. She smiled, someone should, “sure kiddo, it’s a good thing to know, you should learn basic bullet making too, but the stuff can be used to coat a knife too.” Isaac nods, “thank you, is there anything I should know about the herbology?” Kate laughs, don’t cut yourself this breed of wolfsbane is less toxic to humans than werewolves but it would still be bad if you got it in an open wound. Isaac nods, salutes like they taught him and leaves with two bullet samples.

\-----

                Stiles gets Derek to Deaton’s but the door is locked and the lights are out, “uh, I have the key but I don’t think anyone’s home.” Derek opens the door leans out and promptly vomits what looks like coffee grounds across the pavement. “Okay no arguing get in there and try and patch you up got it.” Derek would laugh if he felt like it; Stiles’ constant nervous babble is weirdly comforting. Like he’s so sure Derek won’t die, or he’s too nervous about it that his brain is cycling through every other thought possible. It’s also annoying, Derek feels like he should try and relay some of this but all that comes out is “for the love of god shut up Stiles.” Oh well, Derek and words have never really been friends.

\-----

 

                Cora’s clubbing with Danny, Ethan, and Aiden, having finished her little meeting she’s unwinding on the dance floor. Aiden comes back from the bar looking pale, “uh, some guy dropped this off, said you’d need it.” He hands Cora an envelope, curious Cora looks through it, inside is a bullet, and the stink of wolfsbane fills her nose, by the way Aiden recoils she can tell he smells it too. She looks up, “tell your brother I had to go, sorry to cut this short.” She makes a dash for the door, Danny meets her there. “Emergency,” he nods, not sure what she can tell him, “I’ll drive you, where too?” She’ll need to do some splainin later but for now she’s only too grateful for the help. “You know Deaton’s office?” Danny nods, confused, and gives her a look that means; _yes you will be giving a thorough explanation or very believable lie later_.

\-----

 

                Stiles winces as he gives Derek a shot of adrenaline and now is in a corner trying not to throw-up as Derek digs a bullet out of his shoulder. There’s a soft metallic *clink* as the bullet is put in the surgical tray. Stiles looks up and smiles, then panics as Derek collapses again, “Derek buddy, no, you got it out no more silver you’re good now right?” Derek means to give a rueful laugh but only gags and says “wolfsbane” before his head flops to the side and Stiles has to roll him onto his side while he retches up more bile and gross. Stiles starts desperately pulling energy from the air around him and feeding it into Derek’s body. It’s amazing how panic sharpens ones focus and how readily a Telluric locus gives up the power. He’s mumbling every focus aid he knows and can feel the headache that signals the beginning of magic-burn starting but he’s not about to stop now.

\----

 

                Cora charges into Deaton’s office followed by Danny, there’s Stiles over Derek a heat haze around his body as light flows down his arms and into Derek from his hands. Cora grabs a rag and soaks it in alcohol, “Danny, put this on the wound then light it on fire, trust me just do it.” Stiles doesn’t seem to notice people and keeps reciting whatever chant he’s using to keep Derek alive in place of his heart which Cora cannot hear and that scares her. Danny does as he’s told his ability to be incredulous having, evidentially, taken a brief holiday. Cora goes to a medical station dumps the contents of the bullet she was given into a tray and beings mixing it with the right anti-toxins that Laura drilled into her and Derek for years, hoping against all reason that this is the same stuff killing her brother. She puts the mixture into a vial and fills a syringe there’s a scream and bright light as Stiles is shocked out of his trance by the fire cauterizing Derek’s wound. She uses the freed space to find a vein and jam the needle into it.

Several agonizing seconds go by before Derek’s heart surges to life and he gulps in a lungful of air. The anti-toxin augmented by Derek’s healing and his stubborn refusal to die, works quickly, Cora smiles relieved then turns to Stiles. “Why is your magic chant the green lantern oath?” Stiles gives wobbly smile, “it works” then he promptly throws up in the nearest trash can before collapsing. The air reeking of the ozone and overtaxed magic, Cora looks at Stiles hands they’re red like they’ve been sunburned. “Jesus Stiles are you trying to kill yourself!?” Stiles looks up from the trash “nope, trying to keep your bro from dying.” Danny pushes her aside and holds his hand in front of Stiles’ face, “follow my hand.” Stiles does so, “ok Danny, but which one of you wants me to do that?” Danny frowns at Stiles, “how is it that your reactions are slowed but your ability to be a smartass remains the same?” He turns to Cora, “He’ll be fine, probably, unless I hit him.” Stiles makes an awkward squawking noise before inching away from Danny.

Derek sits up and takes in the drama unfolding around him. “What happened? I’m guessing I’m not dead.” He states flatly, and then he notices Cora, Stiles, and a stranger he knows as one of Cora’s friends. His eyes flare yellow and his claws unsheathe. Cora’s at his side in a flash Danny backs up to the other corner of the room Stiles just sits there with a weird look on his face. “Derek, it’s ok, Danny’s a friend, and he got me here fast enough to get the anti-toxin in you.” Derek relaxes and his face slowly reverts to his normal human appearance. Everyone relaxes slightly, Cora looks at Danny, “I guess I won’t need to make up a story when I ask you to commit a felony hacking?” Danny just sighs, “Can I process the whole ‘not human thing’ first.” Then he looks down at Stiles, “and what are you mister light show?” Stiles just shoots Danny a doofy grin, “I’m a wizard Danny.” Danny rubs his head like he’s the one with magic-burn, “how long have you wanted to use that Stiles?” Stiles beams, “since forever.”

Danny decides that as per usual, ignoring Stiles is the best possible action. “So you and Derek are what?” Cora looks at Danny completely serious, “werewolves, Stiles does magic, Lydia does mostly research but I’m pretty sure she’s keen on magic, and Allison hunts werewolves, or at least her family does.” Derek growls, “She does, and one of your classmates got me shot, not her, a boy, but definitely goes to your school.” Everyone looks at him, “which one?” is all Cora can say, but her face says murder. Derek shrugs, “white, pale, and skinny, has a weird look about him.” Cora growls, Stiles can suddenly tell she’s related to Derek, “that’s not helpful Derek, especially if she turned on us.” Stiles pipes up, “she might not know.” Now everyone is looking at him and he squirms, “she’s with Scott and she’s not exactly privy to a lot of what her family does.” Cora relaxes slightly, “we’ll see Stiles.”

\-----

 

                Everyone’s packing up and getting ready to head to their respective homes. Once Cora is out giving Danny the exact run-down, and thus out of ear-shot, Derek grabs Stiles by the shoulder, “not one word, not one, about what happened tonight.” Stiles looks at him, “uh bro, I think Cora’s gonna tell Laura about you getting shot and I can’t stop her.” He’s half expecting Derek to shake him or punch him or something for that, instead he just looks exhausted and pleads, honest to goodness pleads. “You know what I’m talking about Stiles, please, just please keep that to yourself.” Stiles jaw drops, he’s left speechless, and just nods. Derek relaxes a bit and then hobbles towards Danny’s car, looking small and vulnerable; two words that before tonight Stiles never would have applied to him.

\-----

 

Earlier that evening in a place that’s not really a place

 

                Stiles keeps pressure on Derek’s chest giving the magic equivalent of an AED plus extra, the world around him blurs and fades and suddenly he’s outside the Hale house. The air is still filled with heat, and fresh ashes float on the wind, the smell of it hits him like a truck. It’s then he notices it, pained weeping, he hunts around for the sound, stumbling through the ash choked air. What he comes across is startling, Derek, a younger Derek, staring forward at the ruins and weeping. The Stiles notices them, the vines choking him, growing out of his wounded shoulder and through him, they’re a toxic color and they give off a sickly sweet floral smell with an under-note of decay. Stiles rushes forward and starts pulling at them frantically, as he pulls though more and more sprout from the wound in Derek’s shoulder. Tiny needle like thorns slice into Stiles hands as he’s frantically ripping out as many of them as he can. “C’mon Derek you’re a fighter, remember how much crap you gave me for snooping? You gonna let this kill you? SNAP OUT OF IT!” Stiles shouts; Derek looks at him shocked, and back to his normal older self only now he’s incased in armor. Then his world erupts into color and light as something bursts into flames and Cora’s shoving him out of the way to inject something into Derek. His magic-burn induced headache comes back to him in full force.

\-----

 

Cora gets home and collapses onto her bed; unfortunately sleep is not forthcoming especially with her phone telling her about the voicemail that… Allison left her. Ok, she thinks, this had better be good.

“Cora, it’s Allison, please call me back as soon as you get this, Gerard’s recruited Isaac, and honestly I’m not sure what he’s planning on doing.”

Cora frowns, and her brain’s already making four out of two and two, Derek gets shot while ambushed by a boy from her school right after Allison’s crazy grandpa decides to recruit one of her fucking classmates. Ok, yes, that was indeed good, Allison is officially off the murder list. Come Monday, Allison is going to have a serious chat with Isaac.

\-----

 

                Turns out that chat is going to take a while Isaac having taken a couple weeks to deal with the funeral and such, also according to Allison, get the special Gerard flavored hunter boot camp. “Well shit,” Cora has already reported this to Laura and Derek, she might like her freedom but she enjoys being alive to enjoy said freedom more.

\----

 

                Two weeks of solid training sun up to down and Isaac is blind-folded and led out into the woods, Kate was the one to pick him up. The one time Gerard isn’t hovering somewhere in the background she whispers into his ear “last test kiddo, trust me, nothing will happen to you ok? Deep breaths.” Isaac tenses, he’s ready or so he thinks until he’s pushed somewhere and he hears a door thud closed above him. His training kicks in, he gets his arms in front of him and undoes the knots with is teeth. Then off goes the blindfold, then, his mind goes blank. He recognizes the scratch mark covered door above him, he’s been locked in here enough times. He panics breath coming to fast then the world goes dark.

Then, slowly, it gets warmer; he’s lying naked on a floor that shines like polished marble but looks like partially dried lava. A spider-web of glowing cracks that flicker with barely contained fire weaves across the dark floor. At the end of it sits an enormous fire place giving off enough light to reveal the great library around him.

A voice behind him says, “so young, and yet so powerful. I wonder why no one else has heard your desperate cry.” Isaac turns toward the voice slowly, what he sees stops him dead. It looks like him naked as he save an ornate garment of silk tied around his waist, he has lion paws instead of feet, a viper grows like a tail from the base of his spine it twists around to eye Isaac warily. The creatures face is kind and generous, not the tired, and wane face Isaac see’s in the mirror every day, on his double’s forehead is a glowing symbol like two interlocking stars. The being offer’s his hand, and smiles, “come and sit with me by the fire.” Isaac takes a shaky breath and gets to his feet. He follows warily behind the being. “Allow me to make you more comfortable” it says while pulling one of the flickering shadows into a robe he hands to Isaac to wrap around himself. “Please, have a seat and tell me what made you cry so desperately for aid, what brought you to me?”

Isaac can’t help himself, he breaks, he tells the being everything, his father, the abuse, the dogs, Scott saving him but not realizing it, Gerard, Derek, everything. “If I fail this test I won’t be able to keep them away from Scott, they’ll find him out and kill him. I don’t even know if Cora got to her brother in time to save him, and there are the alphas that Gerard wants to go to war with and everything else. I can’t do it, I can’t stop them, and I can’t even get over my fear of a god-damn refrigerator.” There’s a comforting hand on his shoulder, he looks up into eyes that flicker like flames, they might look out from his face but they are not his eyes. “Why don’t I help you Isaac? I’ll lend you my power and all the knowledge I can. In exchange you help me affect the world. I can’t do much on my own either you know? So you and I could help each other, at the very least I’ll make sure that you can keep Scott safe, just like he kept you safe. Are you ok with that?” Isaac looks at him, “tell me your name, do that and yes we have a deal.” He says it with a note of finality. His double’s eyes light up. “I am called Aim, and I look forward to working with you Isaac. Now in order to protect you I need you to kneel away from me, look to the shadows.” Isaac does so and Aim reaches into the flames in the hearth and pulls out a glowing brand, white-hot. “I’m sorry but this will hurt.” Isaac screams as the brand bites through the shadows draped across his shoulder and into his flesh.

Isaac screams and pushes the door open enough to lever his knife between the links in the chains holding it shut. He twists and between the sudden heat that makes the link briefly warp and physics it snaps and Isaac pushes his way free.

\----

 

                Kate lets out a sigh of relief as Isaac pushes his way free of the fridge, the kid’s panicked screaming made her certain he’d fail then when he went quiet she thought the worst. But here is was free and clear, the adrenaline must have given him the push he needed, still it looked like he might have wrenched his shoulder the way he was holding it. “Here kiddo, you earned it.” She tosses him an instant ice pack, which he catches, cracks and presses to his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to incorporate elements of the magic from two other series I adore, those being the River's of London with the concept of Magic Burn, only for a different reason than that particular series. The next being PC Hodgells Chronicles of the Kencyrath for the soul-walker elements. I hope to explain these more in the story it's self instead of an exposition dump here but I figured a clarification just in case is in order. Let me make one very big thing super duper clear, if Stiles had tried that anywhere other than Deaton's shop it'd be the same as him touching an exposed electrical transformer without gloves.


	9. Darach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You thought it was dead, but it was me procrastination!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, real talk though, starting with a bit of procrastination and my time being eaten, then moving into my computer deciding to die and take all my drafts with it. So after a year of slowly rebuilding it through painful rereads here is the first of the final two chapters of Call of the Drums.

Cora has learned several things about Isaac over the couple of days following him. The primary thing being that Isaac is extremely boring. He doesn’t, as she found out from a wasted day staking out his fathers house, even meet with the Realtor, probably does it via text, or call, or e-mail. Following him around she’s learned his usual stops are; the Argent house, school, and the preserve, probably to train. It’s not that surprising, at school he only really hangs out with Ericka and her parents don’t seem to let her out unsupervised. If Isaac hadn’t almost got her brother killed then she’d have felt bad for him. She wouldn’t be here to learn about it though. Still there’s some strife within their ranks, Allison hadn’t heard about the shooting in time to save Derek so who had provided that bullet?

 

\-----

 

 

 _She’s following you again_ , Aim’s voice is amused, like the predator stalking him is some cute puppy clearly out of it’s own depth. Which she is, even without a literal devil on his shoulder Isaac’s training has made him significantly more aware than he otherwise would be. “Mm hmm” he says into his earpiece one of Gerard’s minions is going on about something, Cora is being unsubtle but none of the others are here so Isaac will let her have her illusions of stealth for now. Next time she tries to follow him to the preserve or Allison’s though he’s going to give her a rude awakening, her being alive is more useful to his immediate project than her being dead. Unfortunately that also runs contrary to Gerard’s project, which means action will need to be taken.

 

“We’re planning on taking one of the Hale kids tomorrow night, also Gerard thinks some other players are in town and you’re to investigate.” Isaac stops what he’s doing, “what players? You want to send me in blind? Ray, I know you don’t have much love for me, but c’mon man you should know better than to think I wouldn’t see through this.” The person on the other end grumbles, Isaac sighs dramatically, “fine, I’ll take care of this, but you owe me, and because I don’t trust your word you’re going to pay up now.” Isaac smiles, it’s a smile that has been honed over these weeks of training and years of abuse, and elements of Aim’s smile. Which is to say, it’s a wholly unpleasant smile that tends to make people go out of their way to placate him. “I need some stuff on witches and how to deal with them,” the man makes an affronted sound. Isaac continues, “or I could let the little sorcerer the pack has been training get the drop on you guys, and maybe mention who gave one of the Hales a tour of the house. Oh you didn’t realize who she was?” Isaac looks over the offers for the house, signs the one with the least amount of paperwork and hassle, he couldn’t give less of a shit about who lives there now. Has most of his dad and brother’s stuff auctioned off. There’s better uses of his time than old memories. “Your choice Ray, send me the info by e-mail, I’m about to be busy.”

 

He looks up from his phone and meets Cora’s eyes, smile still fixed in place he salutes her. Aim chuckles in the back of his head.

 

\-----

 

 

Kali hates being sent to abduct someone, not that she has any moral qualms about it if she’s being totally honest. No it’s the fact that she’s not allowed to really bloody her hands, blah blah blah stealth, war, blah. Deucalion’s such a spoil sport, still just because she can’t kill Derek doesn’t mean she can’t bloody him a little. She makes her way towards the loft as soon as she sees Laura leave. Unknown to Kali others are watching, Jennifer hasn’t bothered putting on her face, more power to take out one of the alpha pack, and Kate is with her to tranq Derek and use him to lure the others out.

 

Kali bursts into the loft all pomp and granduer, subtlety has never been her strong suite. Derek is out of bed and in the living room claws out and an angry snarl on his lips.

 

\-----

 

 

Ennis is moving through the school grounds with purpose, apparently several students opted to stay late to watch the Cyclones practice. Cora is running along the hallways towards the closest exit, Ennis stalking behind her. Cora’s almost at the exit when a scream pierces the silent hallway, she looks back to see Ennis holding Ericka, evidently the girl had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, Ennis snarls and bites down on her shoulder as she starts convulsing. “Aw look, the little thing went and got herself bit.” Ennis says blood dripping down his chin, Hales are all the same, bleeding hearts every last one of them. “Can’t say for sure what’ll happen to her if you just leave now can you?” Cora looks at Ericka desperately, “I’m not even gonna hurt ya, Deucalion wants you alive, and I’m guessing you know why.”

 

He knows why, she knows why, “you want a way to get Laura to do what you want, to bad for you it wont work, she’s better than that. She wont fall for something like this.” Ennis shrugs, “for your sake I hope she does, since she’s going to lose the last of her family if she doesn’t.” Cora curses, walks over to Ericka and helps her up, Ennis grabs her shoulder. Then he screams and releases her, she can feel the electric tingle in her own arm where he grabbed it. Someone’s holding a cattle prod to Ennis’ shoulder, Cora gets enough of a good look to know that he’s one of Gerard’s crew, black clothes, mask night vision. She hauls Ericka over her shoulder and takes off hoping to get out and away while Ennis and the hunter (probably hunters) are distracted by each other.

 

Ennis whips around ready to take off the boy’s head. Child or not, no one gets the drop on him. He roars in pain and fury. The hunter ducks, and drops the cattle prod, and grabs his main weapon, an iron brand. Ennis chuckles, “your trained enough to get the drop on me and that’s what you bring?” He moves in and the hunter uses his strike to feint a blow, he’s expecting a swing, not a stab, the brand glows white for a moment and sears into Ennis’ flesh he howls and the figure smiles, steps back and snaps his fingers, starting from the brand still sizzling Ennis is engulfed in flames.

 

\-----

 

 

Isaac removes his night vision goggles before Ennis goes up like a roman candle, “get a cleaner in here, Ennis has been dealt with, extra crispy.” There’s a stunned silence on the other end and then Ray’s voice, “shit kid, how’d you manage that.” Isaac looks back at the smoldering charred ex-alpha and flatly states “white phosphorous.” The other end is a bustle of activity, likely them getting a crew ready, “you’ve been taking lessons from Kate haven’t you?” There’s disapproval, Isaac doesn’t care, “this outfit doesn’t need more than one pyro in it.” Isaac quietly begins unlocking a nearby locker, Ericka’s luckily for him, unluckily for her given that it led to her involvement, still this could work out to both their benefit assuming she survives the bite. Isaac has little doubt on that though she’s strong. “I didn’t do it because I had a choice Ray. Just get the cleaners in here, I have a possible Hale connection I’m following.” As he leaves a group of three white suited cleaners go by, they have garbage bags and chemicals, there will be no evidence unless someone really hunts and even then. He makes for the woods, the broken branches are an easy enough trail to follow.

 

\-----

 

 

Ericka might not weigh a lot but she’s heavier than the exhausted Cora wants to try and manage when her adrenaline high is wearing off. That’s when a pair of monster dogs appear just because the universe decided that “no Cora, tonight is not bad enough, you’re a Hale I can always make things worse.”

 

The first dog leaps and Cora throws herself backwards, only for it to collide with something solid, and most importantly not her. The dog is immediately wrestled to the ground by the horned figure, he pulls out a collar but before he has a chance to collar the first dog the second jumps. Cora lets out a cry of warning but something causes the dog to jolt and she can hear the tell-tale loud clicking of an active stun-gun. The dog yelps and vanishes snarling before bounding off into the dark. The now collard dog goes still, the horned man stands and looks in the direction the clicking had been coming from. Standing at the top of a small rise is the hunter that was fighting (killed?) Ennis, the horned man salutes him and he returns it, nodding slightly to Cora he turns and leaves without a word. When Cora turns back to the man and dog both are gone. She hauls Ericka up and starts running again, there’s no way that hunter is alone if he took down Ennis.

 

\-----

 

 

 _Interesting, I did not think the Nematon had been restored enough for a full crossing._ Aim’s voice crackles like a fire in Isaac’s mind, “What do you mean?” Aim seems to consider for a moment, _that was a huntsman, one of the Gentry, they don’t usually leave Annwn, and when they do they require an open gate. There was once such a gate, but it was destroyed and it’s current form hasn’t had enough power fed into it to restore that property. So how it managed to act as a gate is a mystery to me._ The voice in his head sounds delighted, it makes sense, what Isaac’s been able to learn about the spirit is that he’s knowledgeable and enjoys mysteries and new information. Isaac makes a thoughtful noise, “I think you’re right, since he was born here in Beacon Hills, not some mystical fairyland.” He can feel Aim’s full attention on him now, normally the demon’s presence is subdued but now it’s like having the noon sun beating down on him. “I’ll tell you what I know about that if you tell me about those dogs.” Aim chuckles, _you certainly have gall making so many Faustian deals little warlock. You’re lucky I am curious._

 

\-----

 

 

Stiles sits bolt upright when his phone rings, and he fumbles for it gracelessly until finally getting through, the lack of coordination is caused half by being woken up. Half by the caller ID showing the name Lydia Martin. “Lydia, sup’” he says with completely false confidence that, if the bored slightly annoyed sigh on the other end is any indication, confidence Lydia sees through and is thoroughly unimpressed with. “Stiles; I am only calling you because Allison does not have her phone on, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered. I am only bothering because I found out what those beasts are and that’s important.” The clipped tone of voice is clearly meant to shut down any romantic delusions Stiles may harbor, which is completely unfair, the prospect of finally learning what those monsters are has his full attention, a bomb could go off in the room before he’d pay attention to anything else, and even then it’s fifty-fifty. “they’re called Barghests, there message delivered, I’m going to bed.” With no other ceremony the line goes dead and Stiles is hoping he spelled that correctly.

 

No Stiles did not spell that correctly, and he spent the first half hour of research trying to find the actual monster and go from there. Then the next three hours after that trying to sift reality from myth, from Wizard’s of the Coast’s creative license. So big monster ghosts, usually dogs, that have a nasty disease causing bite, and jump through shadows, ward them off with iron. That seems to be the most information he can obtain. That said iron isn’t especially useful since steel doesn’t apparently work on them which means they’re going to have to experiment further.

 

\-----

 

 

Derek and Kali are playing a very deadly and strenuous game of tag, Derek an injured beta is playing smart while Kali a well-rested alpha is playing sadistically. She’s keeping the exits barred but not really trying to catch Derek, she’s harrying him, wearing him out. Derek’s pretty sure that he’s done for when the doors open and two women walk in. The first is barely recognizable, her face a twisted mask of gnarled scars. The second, the second Derek knows intimately, “Kate” he snarls, she raises the gun, “nice to see you too babe,” and fires two darts into Derek’s chest. Kali whirls are around to leap at the scarred woman, “I should have finished you when I had the chance!” The scarred woman knocks her off her feet with a wave of raw kinetic force, that wave is then used to rip the glass out of the skylight, the shards fall through Kali’s prone form. Jennifer lowers her hand, “yes you probably should have.” Kate walks over and starts to drag Derek up when Jennifer tells her to move and one handed lifts Derek off the ground.

 

\-----

 

 

Duecalion can feel Ennis and Kali’s power flow into him. While it’s true that he didn’t kill them, all his alphas make the same deal when they join his pack. Their power is his. While it may not have been ideal it means that the Hale kids have either been killed or captured by Gerard’s faction. This will make Laura much more amenable to his cause.

 

\-----

 

Isaac slips his report under Allison’s door, and casually makes his way over to the abandoned bunker, Kate’s standing outside the door holding a cup of coffee. “Sup Isaac, I heard about Ennis and I gotta say good work kid. Ray’s throwing a fit because dad wants you on the team for when he and Jennifer finally take out Deucalion.” Isaac nods, “I heard you bagged something yourself.” Kate takes a sip, “yeah, remember the wolf we had you distract?” Isaac raises his eyebrows slightly skewing his face into a look of mild surprise, “the one we killed correct?” Kate shakes her head, “didn’t kill him, they got him all cured up. Dad took me off the main crew because of it, I’m on perimeter.” Isaac actually feels bad, Kate’s sole motivation is her devotion to her family, earning Gerard’s praise, which he holds over her head. “You have more of a right to bitch me out than Ray.” Kate smiles wryly, “don’t worry about it kid, you earned your spot, I fucked up bringing Derek down, that’s on me. Ray’s a whiny prick, I don’t know why dad keeps him around, he rarely goes into the field.” She shakes her head, “hey why don’t I show you how to handle a captive.”

 

Isaac and Kate enter the cell and Derek, chained to the metal grate snarls and roars at them, his fangs and claws out his eyes a glowing vibrant blue. Isaac just watches him placidly as Kate takes a cattle prod and jams it into his side causing his lupine features to blur back into his human features and he lets out a low whine. “Electricity plays hell with their transformation,” then she jabs him again, he screams and passes out. “He’s still processing the wolfsbane, keeping a regular current going will keep him from fully processing it and he’ll stay weak. Even if he escapes or his pack manages to break in here he’ll be dead weight to them. Don’t try and be a hero kiddo, if that happens.” Isaac smiles warmly, “get back up, Ray sent me to die against Ennis, I planned and had home court advantage even so I got lucky, he was distracted.” Kate turns back to Derek then takes the butt of the cattle prod and taps him on the cheek until he wakes up, “no beauty sleep for you Derek, gotta keep it fair for the rest of us.” She winks at Isaac, “I know you’ve had a long one but Ray wants you guarding him.” Isaac takes a seat, “no worries, go help Jennifer prepare the Nematon, Gerard’s about ready to make his power play.” _Probably kill Kate_ , Aim had said, _that type of ritual has rules, blood of blood, life for life. If he wants a miracle to save him he’ll need to trade the life of one of his own blood for his own._ Isaac’s face twists a bit, “be careful Kate, not just of Duecalion, only two of his four are dead, and while we have Derek it means at least one Hale will be with him.” She salutes him while sauntering out the door, “will do boyo.”

 

 

Isaac sits in his chair taking a sip of his own coffee, Aim making small observations, filling in the gaps in Kate’s little run down. Derek stares him down, “I don’t know what they’ve told you but werewolves didn’t kill your dad. Those things aren’t-” Isaac cuts him off, “I know they weren’t werewolves, they’re Barghests, corrupted Cwn Anwnn, and honestly, if you had been the one to kill my dad I’d give you all the money his estate made.” His face remains still and placid but his heart beat rises with the remembered panic, “he used to lock me in an old freezer whenever he was angry, sometimes I deserved it, usually he was just mad at the world and wanted someone to take it out on.” He looks annoyed at Derek’s expression, “also don’t bother pitying me, it wont get you out of here, odds are they’ll kill you soon.” Derek’s expression hadn’t softened much but he had hoped maybe it would be a way out, it goes hard again. “Then why?” Isaac smiles tightly, “because I have something worth protecting, and unfortunately, your family isn’t the winning side in this fight. I am truly sorry, but I’m basically trying to keep a werewolf zealot and an old sociopath at each other’s throats instead of the person who actually saved my life.”

 

\-----

 

 

Allison enters her bedroom and finds a neatly typed report, it consists of a summary of Barghests, and a list of missing persons she gets on the phone and dials Stiles. “Allison, did Lydia get a hold of you?” Allison scrunches her face in confusion. “No, someone left me a report on Barghests, she flips a few pages, according to it they’re corrupted Cwn Anwnn, faerie hunting hounds.” There’s a flurry of papers on Stiles’ end, “okay, so that bits news to me, everything I found was stuff we knew, nasty bite, jumping through shadows, the iron weakness is new.” Allsion winces a bit, “it’s gotta be cold iron Stiles, if there’s too many external elements it wont work.” Stiles pauses, “you guys are uh, thorough huh?” “You deal with pixies and try not to find out how many different ways to kill them you can. Turns out most fae have the same weakness.” She deadpans, then her blood goes cold, the final page of the report is a capture summary, “Stiles I have to go now.” She calls Cora immediately.

 

\-----

 

 

Cora slowly lowers Ericka to the couch and then collapses, Laura and Duecalion are out cleaning up Kali and the sun has finally risen. It’s war, they took Derek, if anything happens to him, responsible or no, she and Allison will be on opposite sides of this war. Her phone rings, and her voice sounds hollow when she answers, “if you’re calling to give me a heads up on your family coming to take one of the last family I have left. Don’t bother Argent.” She stresses the word, “Cora, I’m sorry, I just found out.” She snarls, “I don’t want apologies Allison I want my brother!” Allison pauses, “I know where they’re keeping him Cora. If I help you though, I’ll be a traitor, most of the west coast organization is loyal to Gerard.” What Cora says next is unfair, but nothing about this situation is fair. “I don’t care Allison, the only way this doesn’t end in war is if he comes back safe.” Allison takes a breath, “meet me in the preserve at ten, I’ll come alone, unarmed.” Cora nods, and writes down the coordinates, when Laura comes back in, “Duecalion and I as well as Ethan and Aiden are going to strike at Gerard.” She shakes her head sadly, “Cora, I don’t know how this will end, but, you get home to Peter. I’ll come get you.” The unspoken “if I survive” is left hanging in the air.

 

Once Laura and Duecalion are gone, preparing to wage war on the people who stole her brother. She calls Stiles, and Danny. She calls them to get them to meet her where Allison told her. they agree to scout the area.

 

\-----

 

 

Allison meets the group and they are weary and have clearly been waiting for a while; having likely come early to make sure none of her grandfather’s minions are hiding in the shadows. That she’s their ally and not his. Still a small mean part of her that she chooses to indulge in moderation, feels a smug satisfaction that they’ve put extra energy into unfounded, though justified, paranoia. _Is it paranoia if they actually are out to get you?_ She can almost hear Stiles’ voice asking that part of her inner monologue. “So, first off, someone, I suspect, is on our side. In addition to where Derek’s being held is a dossier on Barghests.” Cora looks at her, “could they have made you? Could this be a trap?” Danny leans against a tree, “assuming she’s not leading us to one.”

 

Allison hands Stiles a copy of the report. “I don’t know what my grandfather has planned. I suspect it involves some really bad magic, his adviser Jennifer Blake, she scares me, and I don’t think it’s unfounded suspicion.” Cora’s turn to gape, “as in our English teacher Ms. Blake?” Allison makes an unhappy face but nods; “Gerard pulled some strings.” Cora starts pacing while Stiles scans the report before paling visibly, “uh, Allison, there are disappearance reports in here.” Allison nods, “I figured they were in relation to the Berghests, do you have another idea?” Stiles looks over to Danny who reluctantly pushes himself away from the tree he’s leaning on. “Tell me you see the resemblances here,” then Stiles shakes his head, “no, on second thought tell me I’m crazy and nothing’s wrong.” Danny scans the page he’s looking at, “every time you ask me to look at something I end up with way more knowledge of the medical examiner’s than I ever wanted to see.” Danny’s normally stoic or mildly annoyed face becomes slightly nauseous, “these are the victims of the recent ritual killings the state is investigating. Or about a third of them are, the rest I’m guessing haven’t been discovered.”

 

Allison goes tense with alert, “ritual murders?” Stiles slaps the papers, specifically the page with a map marked in red. “They all lie on Telluric Currents, these are ritual in the literal sense, this isn’t jut bad magic Allison, this is the stuff my teacher was very clear on; baddest of the bad. Worse than summoning demons to bargain with bad. This is magic that feeds on peoples lives, it rots your soul according to him.” Allison marches up to him and looks at the map, “it can’t be, he can’t have gone that far. Stiles the type of magic you’re talking about is the type of thing we hunt down, no mercy, no warning. Stiles this isn’t just breaking the code, this is perverting our very reason to fight.”

 

Before they can make a real plan of attack though the sound of a horn echoes through the forest and the fey huntsman appears on the upper ridge, Allison pulls out her daggers and pushes Stiles and Danny back towards Cora. She charges the Gentry lord weapons drawn, he seems taken aback but readies his spear. Unlike the dead of night, amped on adrenaline and coming off a fight with Barghests, the wane gray light of the late morning Allison can see the face beneath the helmet. A sharp intake of breath, Scott’s face is focused on her but the vibrant neon green of his eyes is devoid of their normal love and kindness, in fact the vibrancy is feverish consumed by an innate magic. “Stiles, how do I undo an enchantment?” Stiles is caught off guard by her shouted question. “Uh, I mean, I can only guess on this one but, well, in fairy tales there’s a pretty traditional means...” Allison sighs, _I suppose there are worse ways to lift a curse than kissing my boyfriend._ She weaves below the spear the magic is the only thing driving him, his body and mind untrained to fighting, she throws he arms around his shoulders and presses her lips to his.


End file.
